FG ready to present 2018 budget in Oct, says minister

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed says the Federal Government is on course to present the 2018 budget proposal to the National Assembly in October.

Ahmed who made this known at the news

conference at the end of the 23rd Nigerian Economic Summit on Thursday in Abuja, said that the 2018 budget proposal would be presented to the National Assembly in October as planned.

“That is what we said and we are still on course and target to do that, the budget is ready.“It will be going to the Federal Executive Council first of all for approval before Mr President will convey it to the National Assembly.

“We are on course to deliver the 2018 budget in October.“ We hope that working together with National Assembly it will be passed on time in December so that in January, we will start a fresh budget going forward,’’ the minister said.

She added that the government was working to push the implementation of Presidential Executive Orders to boost economic growth and development, while the ministry has come up with a mechanism to monitor the performance of ministers.

“We have started producing a monthly and evaluation report that is measuring the performance of ministers’’.

However, she said that the government would fast-track the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

“We have just received the recommendations and we are going to review it.“One of the recommendations says the lab for the implementation of the ERGP must be done quickly in the next two weeks.

“That is what we are committed to doing, we will review the recommendations and plan the implementation with the view of fast-tracking the growth we are aspiring,’’ she said.