It’s over a fortnight since the National Assembly approved the 2017 Appropriation Bill on May 12, 2017. The document is still awaiting assent by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, despite assurance by his spokesman, Laolu Akande that the professor of law is satisfied with the budget as passed, Nigerians are still waiting.
By Wednesday, it would be three weeks, waiting for a budget that is to kick off and then serve as pillar for the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
In any case, the budget as passed proposes that N1.8tr be spent on debt servicing, representing 24.73% of the total size; almost competing with the N2.714tr for capital expenditure during the year, representing a 5.59% increase over what was proposed by the Presidency.
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