President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, called for improved collaboration between the Executive and the National Assembly.
Buhari said this at the Summit on Inter-governmental/Inter-Party Relations and the Budget Reform Process for Sustainable Development in Nigeria, organised by the Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS)in Abuja.
Represented by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Buhari also lauded the NASS for partnering the Ministry of Budget to review the budgeting process in the country.
“I am delighted by the efforts of the National Assembly in pushing for a reform in our budgetary process to entrench transparency and accountability, professionalism, greater citizen participation, and adherence to strict guidelines and timelines.
“We look forward to the passage of the Budget Process Bill because we are of the firm conviction that a credible budget process is the first step towards ensuring that the budget is developmentally driven.
“I am aware that the Budget Process Bill is a result of collaboration between the National Assembly and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
“Indeed, the budget is one area where there must be heightened and continuous engagement between the legislature and the executive.
“Whereas the executive implements the budget, the legislature plays a central role in the pre-budgeting process and more critically in oversight of government spending.
“The legislature also ensures that actions and policies implemented by the government and other public institutions are effectively implemented.
“Owing to this important relationship between the two arms of government, avenues for interaction in the budget process have been expanded and it is hoped that the collaboration will continue to grow,” he said.
Buhari, who acknowledged the `fiscal conflicts between the executive and the legislature’; restated the commitment of the present administration in building the nation’s economy and bringing development to the people.
He said that the provision and modernisation of infrastructure, specifically, railway system, roads and power, across the length and breadth of this country was a priority for the administration.
He added that it was in view of the goal that the executive earmarked N2.18 trillion in the 2017 budget, being about 30 per cent of the budget, for spending on public projects.
Buhari while commending the NASS for reviewing the process of budgeting in Nigeria, however, seek for collaboration on allocation of funds to critical projects rather than approving smaller projects that would not have meaningful impact.
“Indeed, the NASS and the Executive can do much more in this regard to not only ensure increased spending on capital projects.
“But also to avoid fragmentation of the budget into a glut of small projects which do not have any tangible final impact on the economy or national development.
“This is even more critical where the appeal to small projects for their political capital may be great.
“There must be a consensus by both the legislature and the executive on certain projects that are critical to real development.
“The task of nation building must be a collective one and this sometimes requires making ‘personal’ sacrifices,” he said.
He called on the NASS to partner the executive to further reduce existing inefficiencies in public expenditures and raise non-oil revenue while also fighting corruption.
He added that a constructive relationship between the three arms of government was essential to effectively maintain the constitution and the rule of law.
“This is one government, APC government and we must act as such because the failure of this government would not be that of the executive alone but that of the legislature as well.
“We should be guided by our manifesto which clearly states that as progressives, we believe that Nigeria is greater than any individual or the sum of her Federating Units.
“Therefore, the country can only succeed when all of us have equal rights, where no one is above the law, where the culture of impunity is abolished and where there is level playing field.
“May this always be our guiding principle as we work together for the common good of Nigeria and all Nigerians,” he said.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang said that there was the need for legislature-executive partnership.
He said that the barometer for measuring the relationship between the two arms of government was budget process adding that a good relationship would translate to a good budget appropriation and implementation.
Enang commended the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), headed by Prof. Ladi Hamalai for its commitment to improving the tenets of democracy adding that such a summit would further bridge any existing gaps between the executive and legislature.