The Senate yesterday said the annual national budgets were not reflective of the national development plans.
It mandated its committee on National Planning, Finance and Appropriation to hold a roundtable meeting with agencies in budgeting process to conduct a thorough review of budgeting practices and national planning process, with a view to creating a more synergized and collaborative system that is both effective and efficient.
The resolution was sequel to a motion by Senator Stella Oduah (Anambra North) and five others.
Oduah said despite Nigeria’s articulated national plans over the years, the nation continued to adopt annual national budgets that do not reflect a buy-in from relevant stakeholders and MDAs.
She noted that without a visionary budget-driven national development plan, growth strategies and the respective MDAs will continue to fall short of achieving their goals, and projects will have little or no purpose.
Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North) said the non-implementation of development plans was responsible for the many abandoned projects nation-wide.
Senator Aisha Dahiru (Adamawa Central) blamed the rising insecurity across the country on the failure of successive governments to implement national development plans.
