THE 2017 BUDGET OF RECOVERY WILL BETTER THE LIFE OF NIGERIANS;;DR FATIMA ABDULRAHMAN

The immediate past President of ANCOPSS, Dr. Fatima Abdulrahman said the 2017 budget should interest every Nigerians.

She said that even though budget are hard read and are even harder to implement, she has no doubt that that President Buhari will implement every item of the budgets to latter.

She said budget don't resonate well with the public not because most people have a difficult time wading through and making sense of the labyrinth of projections contained in them but also because most Nigerians are innumerable, that is we have no literacy in numbers so phobic to boast. But whatever our believe about budgets, they do matter. They serve as guide posts of governance and the tool with governments to navigate the complex contour of completing expectations, interest and needs.

Budgets also tell us the priorities our government cherishes. This year's budget is unique because it came at a time of the worst economic recession in our recent history and in the aftermath of the Niger Delta Avengers attacked on our pipelines.

Dr. Fatima said, it is also noteworthy that the economic sector took the icon's share of this year's budget. This is wise and farsighted move because the economy is the fulcrum around which the society revolves. The N7.298 trillion budgets which is 20.4 percent bigger than that of 2016, has earmarked 30.7 percent for capital expenditure “to pull the economy out of recession”.

Mr. President's single minded determination and dedication, for which Nigerians should be externally grateful to him for making the economy of the country to work aside oil revenue generation.

According to Dr. Fatima, it is impossible to capture all the details of the budget in this press release, but something struck her as she went through President Muhammdu Buhari budget proposal in his speech, the President identified the focus of his economic renewal efforts to include school feeding programme and funding for the rehabilitation of the northeast.

There is something in it for everyone, it is hoped that all great things contained in the budget come to fruition so that Nigerians can rise to the next level.

Dr. Fatima said, as citizens of Nigeria we need to collectively ensure the success of this budget by being supportive and understanding where the occasion calls for it and being constructively critical where necessary.

"I am saying "we can do it" and it is true that we will because era of corruption and overdependence on oil has gone. Let us give the President and his cabinet the opportunity to lay the foundation for a better Nigeria.

Mr. President has assured Nigerians in his message to the Muslim that "the reality of the temporary challenges should not undermine our hope, reverse our collective will to succeed, or divide us; rather it should remind us of why we need to stay together, fight together and succeed together.

He further said "we all share a vision of better Nigeria, and we will all share a vision of a better Nigeria, and we will all share in the responsibility of building the country of our dreams.

"As we look forward to 2017 with hope and huge expectations, let me assure you that with collective dedication and hard work, we will overcome the mountain of economic difficulties and return our country to the path of prosperity.

“The 2017 budget proposal laid before National Assembly contains measures that we are confident will get the Nation out of its economic wood".

I also enjoy the National Assembly to cooperate with Mr. President in passing the budget on time in order to start hitting the ground running for adequate implementation said Dr. Fatima.