ANALYSTS ADVOCATE STRONG BUDGET MONITORING

Two of the most critical issues confronting the country are integrity in governance and credibility in the electoral and judiciary systems.

As President Muhammadu Buhari presents 2018 budget proposal of ₦8.6 trillion to the National Assembly, some key players in the nation’s polity want stronger mechanism for monitoring budget implementation and performance.

They also want politicians to institutionalized democratic values and stimulate greater economic activities to lift more Nigerians out of poverty.

One of the respondents and Director General, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry- Mines and Agriculture, Mr. Emeka Okereke, who oserves that the 2018 budget estimate was encouraging, says implementation is one key area government should strive to achieve.

“In terms of roads, let us see the level of achievement in terms of progress we record on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, the Enugu-Portharcourt. I don’t know whether the (federal) Ministry of Works have their monitoring department.”

Mr. Okereke says that the organized private sector, as the biggest employer of labour, deserves steady power supply, accessibility to foreign exchange, favourable tax regime and interest rates to encourage liquidity and greater economic activities.

In his submission, the Chairman Nigeria labour Congress, Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo urges government to tackle the issue of delayed and abandoned projects, which, according to him, has become a re-curing decimal in the polity.

Comrade Nwobodo, while expressing the hope that the budget will impact on the consumer price index, which he says is still high, encourages the legislature to expedite action on the budget to ensure its timely passage.

Speaking on good governance, democracy, rule of law and security, the National Legal Adviser Police Community Relations Committee, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Dr. Godstime Okafor encouraged Nigerians to shun violence, militancy and insurgency.

He said the resources expended in containing such security challenges could be channeled to infrastructure development.

Dr Okafor said that elections must be free and fair, to reflect the wishes of the people.

This, he said would engender stability and sustainable economic growth.

EMEFIENA OKONKWO