Presidency budget pegged at N10bn as work commences on 2021 budget

The total expenditure of the presidency has been cut down to N10 billion for the 2021 fiscal year from the N15.3 billion in the revised 2020 budget.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Deputy Director of Information at the State House, Attah Isa on Sunday, who added that the ceiling was contained in a circular from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

The statement further stated that federal government agencies in the Presidency, on Saturday held consultations for the 2021 budget.

According to Isa, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Tijjani Umar, led the 2021 budget bilateral meeting between Government Agencies under the Presidency and officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning at a virtual meeting at the conference room of the State House administrative block.

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The consultation was attended by Chief Executives and key budget, finance and accounts staff of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The statement qouted the Permanent Secretary, Umar as saying that “the preparation of the 2021 budget estimates takes into consideration the policies and strategies contained in the 2021-2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP), which is the Federal Government pre-budget statement.”

He also explained that in line with the directive issued by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the annual budget is being prepared using the Zero-Based Budget (ZBB) approach and in compliance with the government’s policy thrust as articulated in the MTEF/FSP and Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP).

Umar, who cited a September 1, 2020 circular issued by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, said MDAs have been directed to work assiduously to conclude the budget bilateral meetings as scheduled in order to get the 2021 budget ready for transmission to the National Assembly (NASS) by President Muhammadu Buhari this month.

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