Public Hearing On 2017 Budget Crucial -Saraki

The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Monday declared that the public hearing on the 2017 Budget was crucial, as the upper chamber of the National Assembly commenced a joint public hearing session on the 2017 National Budget, the first of its kind in Nigeria.
In a speech to declare open the hearing, Saraki said that the Public hearing of budget 2017 “is the first of its kind and is also coming at a crucial stage. The Senate President noted that Nigeria is at a critical stage in its national development.”
According to the Senate President, the public hearing on the budget is aimed “at making the National Budgeting process an all inclusive activity for Nigerians as well as create room for analysis, discourse and enlightenment on the basic recommendation and budget policies of the nation.”
Apart from shaping “discourse on fiscal, financial and economic assumptions used as basis in arriving at total estimated expenditure, the public hearing shall also be used “for the collation of views and positions with a view to making general Legislative contribution.”
The. Minister of State for Budget and Planning, Hajiya Aisha Shamsuna Ahmed said current efforts by the government is aimed at ensuring that “that the 2017 Budget is in line with the recovery & growth plan,” adding that the 2017 Budget was “was designed to expand the capacity between the public and the Private sector”.
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Chief Executive Officer of CEPER, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, said confronting the present recession can only be realised through assemblage of experts, adding, “the naira will continue to plunge further until we are bold in economic policies, infrastructure & monitoring.”