Tambuwal decries low capital budget implementation

The Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on
Thursday in Abuja decried the low
implementation level of the capital
component of the 2013 budget.
Tambuwal, who made the remark in an
address of welcome to members from
their seven-week recess, said budget
implementation still remained a sore
point of governance in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria quoted the
Speaker as saying, “The level of
implementation of the 2013 capital
appropriation is below expectation given
the early submission by the Executive and
early passage by the Legislature.
“We have consistently advised that the
procurement process be employed in a
value added manner rather than the
adherence to and unproductive worship
of procedures.”
Tambuwal said in spite of the early
passage of the budget by the National
Assembly, not much progress had been
made in that regard.
“So far, by the information and statistics
at our disposal, there is no justification
for this state of affairs,” he said.
The Speaker said based on the poor state
of implementation of the budget, all
committees of the House would proceed
on a one-week oversight to all the
Ministries, Departments and Agencies of
the Federal Government.
He said the report generated from the
oversight would be collated by the
committees on Legislative Budget and
Research, and Legislative Compliance.
According to him, the committees will
submit a joint report to the plenary for
consideration.
The report, he added, would guide the
House in the consideration of the 2014
budget proposals being expected in
October from the Executive.
Similarly, the Chairman, House Committee
on Industries, Mr. Mohammed Onawo,
has said the National Assembly is
uncomfortable with the high interest
rates charged indigenous investors and
industrialists by financial institutions in
the country.
He said interest rates were far lower in
many other countries than in Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists during the visit of
the committee to Kam Industries Limited
in Ilorin on Tuesday, Onawo said the
operation of the company was a challenge
to the Federal Government for being
unable to complete the Ajaokuta Steel
Rolling Mill.