“A major aspect of the budget performance is the availability of funds” —Ebuka Onyekwelu
Three weeks after Governor Chukwuma Soludo presented a budget size of N410 billion Naira to Anambra State House of Assembly for consideration, the House is now drawing the curtains on budget defense, which is an integral aspect of the budgeting process. The budget currently at committee stage, has all government Ministries Departments and Agencies – MDAs, coming to explain why their proposed budget should be approved by the House. It is further an opportunity for the House to perform their oversight on the executive by demanding explanations on how the previous year’s budget was used by the MDAs, among others.
For the past three weeks, the Chairman of Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu, has presided over meetings with MDAs along the chairman and members of all relevant committees in the Assembly. Earlier, Hon. Okechukwu had assured that the House will “do a thorough job.” In trying to match speed with quality delivery, the Assembly had extended the exercise to Saturdays and as at Tuesday 12th December 2023, not more than four MDAs are left. This effectively signals that the budget defense exercise will not exceed this week, before the committee puts up its final report which shall be present to the House of Assembly for final consideration and approval. In other words, the Anambra State House of Assembly may, as it is very likely, before close of work for the Christmas holidays in about a week’s time, be able to put the final seal on the 2024 budget processes as it concerns the legislature.
The next stop is with the executive, as the governor is expected to sign the appropriation bill passed by the legislature into law. This will bestow on the appropriation bill the full force of the law as a legal instrument that guides expenditures and government priorities in Anambra State for year 2024. After this, what is next?
The people who are the real beacons of government budgets are expected to begin to take delivery of new infrastructures, improved living conditions, new opportunities, among so many others, as it is contained in the budget. The implication summarily is that a government can only delivery good governance to the extent that it has been empowered by the year’s budget. Part of what the 2024 Anambra budget promised is the construction of ten storey 5 star hotel at the International Convention Centre – ICC, in Awka, the State capital. Provision has also been made for the emoluments of the ongoing three thousand teachers’ recruitment. Provisions were also made for reforms in the legislature and the judiciary arms of Anambra State Government. In essence, what has not been provided for in the budget will not be undertaken in the coming year except the governor would send a supplementary budget to the Assembly, for approval.
However, a major aspect of the budget performance is the availability of funds. The extent to which proposed government programmes materialize depends on the degree to which the expected revenue accrues to the government. For the most part, this is a serious challenge to ambitious government projects and programmes which implementation are stalled for lack of funds or sufficient funds, forcing the government to focus on more pressing needs that are mostly recurrent.
By and large, as the Anambra 2024 appropriation bill nears its transition to a working document that is legally binding on the state and government, it is important that the people themselves begin to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the budget, at least, especially as it concerns their various communities. This will help them to keep up with the pace of work upon approval of such proposed projects. Therefore, they are in a good position to hold their government more accountable and are better placed to properly engage their government for public good. This is the hallmark of democracy as “government of the people.” The people must engage their own government on clear knowledgeable grounds of government and governance processes, programmes and projects. Just as James Madison said, “A people who wish to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge brings.”
Ebuka graduated with a second-class upper-division degree in Political Science from the University of Calabar in Nigeria. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master's Degree in Political Science with a specialization in Government and Development Studies from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Nigeria. His academic background and professional experience have equipped him with a deep understanding of political dynamics and governance issues.
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