Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed the Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to ensure they meet the October submission deadline for the 2018 Budget, the Presidency says.
The early preparations according to the statement is to enable the executive submit the 2018 Budget proposals by October to the National Assembly.
The objective was also to ensure that that the budget proposals for 2018 align with achieving the key areas highlighted in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered on Tuesday in Abuja that an event, tagged: “Flag off the 2018 Budget Preparation Process’’ held behind a closed-doors at the Old Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The acting president also tasked Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to take responsibility to ensure maximum implementation of the 2017 Budget between now and December.
The directive comes less than 24 hours after Osinbajo signed the 2017 Appropriation Bill into law.
AgP @ProfOsinbajo today flagged off the preparation of #Budget2018, in line with the assurance in his signing ceremony Speech yesterday.
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) June 13, 2017
The AgP has directed Ministers & Perm Secretaries to ensure that @asorock meets the #Budget2018 submission deadline of October 2017
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) June 13, 2017
AgP has also tasked Ministers & Perm Secs to take responsibility to ensure maximum implementation of #Budget2017 between now & December.
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) June 13, 2017
The ERGP’s projected that Nigeria will make significant progress to achieve structural economic change with a more diversified and inclusive economy in five key areas by 2020.
The key areas are stable macro-economic environment, agricultural transformation, food security, sufficiency in energy and improved transportation infrastructure.