NAN-H-50
Budget
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, Dec. 16, 2016 (NAN) A non-governmental organisation, Anti-corruption, Research and Data-based Initiative (ARDI), has described the 2017 budget as a budget of hope.
Mr Denis Aghanya, the Executive Secretary of ARDI, said in a statement in Lagos that the budget was based on realities.
“The 2017 Budget proposal of Mr President is a budget of hope. If you analyse it critically, you will agree with me that the budget is based on realities on ground.
“One striking development with the budget is that it is dependent on recovered loots.
“People have asked questions on the whereabouts of the recovered loots; he has been recovering and carefully keeping them for the rainy day.
“It shows that Buhari takes his time to plan,” Aghanya said.
He expressed the optimism that the budget would enable Nigeria to pull out of recession.
Aghanya noted that the crude oil price was stabilising, adding that it would help in rebuilding the economy.
He called on Nigerians to be hopeful of an improved economy, urging that they should be patient while the Federal Government would take necessary steps to solve the country’s economic problems.
NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday presented the 2017 Budget of N7.3 trillion to the joint session of the National Assembly. (NAN)
LED/ORO/IGO
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Edited by Razak Owolabi