2018 Budget and Lies Against Ekweremadu and Southeas Lawmakers

Contrary to the propaganda that Ekweremadu and Southeast lawmakers sat back and watched as N2 billion proposed for Enugu Int'l airport was slashed to N500 million, while N5 billion proposed for Maritime University, Delta State, was reduced to N3.4 billion, details show that the adjustments were not limited to the South East or South South.


Cuts in budget proposals by the National Assembly highlighted in President's speech are as follows:

1. The provisions for Counter-part funding for the Mambilla Power Plant, Second Niger Bridge/ancillary roads, the East-West Road, Bonny-Bodo Road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Itakpe-Ajaokuta Rail Project were cut by an aggregate of 11.5 billion Naira.

2. Similarly, provisions for some ongoing critical infrastructure projects in the FCT, Abuja especially major arterial roads and the mass transit rail project, were cut by a total of 7.5 billion Naira.


3. The provision for Rehabilitation and Additional Security Measures for the United Nations Building by the FCT, Abuja was cut by 3.9 billion Naira from 4 billion Naira to 100 million Naira; this will make it impossible for the Federal Government of Nigeria to fulfill its commitment to the United Nations on this project.

4. The provision for the Federal Government’s National Housing Programme was cut by 8.7 billion Naira.

5. The provisions for Export Expansion Grant (EEG) and Special Economic Zones/Industrial Parks were cut by a total of 14.5 billion Naira.

6. The provision for Construction of the Terminal Building at Enugu Airport was cut from 2 billion Naira to 500 million Naira.

7. The Take-off Grant for the Maritime University in Delta State was cut from 5 billion Naira to 3.4 billion Naira.

8. About seventy (70) new road projects have been inserted into the budget of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing by the National Assembly to improve infrastructure across the country.

QUESTIONS FOR THE PROPAGANDISTS:


i. Which party halted and  tried to scrap this same Maritime University established by former President Jonathan?

ii. Who led the delegation of South East Senators to former President Yar'Adua and finally got the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, declared an international airport?

iii. Who led Enugu State National Assembly caucus to pool all funds  voted for their constituency intervention projects in the 2008 Budget and channeled same towards the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam Int'l Airport, Enugu in the 2008 budget?

iv. Is the inclusion of high-sounding figures in a budget the same as the release of such amount to execute projects? Is it the 2019 fever?

It is obvious that President Buhari is a bad workman that keeps quarrelling with his tools, while heaping the blames of his gross incompetence & monumental failures on others. What happened to 2016, 2017 budgets? How many projects were executed with all the trillions of naira appropriated for previous budgets? Were Ekweremadu & South-south lawmakers responsible for Buhari's sadistic lopsided appointments against Igbos or killings by herdsmen despite huge budgetary approvals by NASS to improve security? When did Buhari suddenly start loving the 5%ers?


President Buhari's handlers should remind him that Nigeria is practicing democracy where the principle of separation of powers should be respected.

The National Assembly reserves the constitutional mandate to alter and scrutinise the budget before passing it into law, unless he is expecting lawmakers to behave like programmed robots, rubber-stamping every budget proposal brought to them.

This government has become notorious for using blackmail and propaganda  to incite Nigerians against its perceived opponents.