FEC Approves Strategies for 2016 Budget Implementation

By Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The Federal Executive Council ‎on Wednesday adopted 34 strategic priority programmes that the Federal Government will implement in 2016.

This took place at a meeting presided over by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Minister of State Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Minister of State Budget and Planning Zainab Ahmed appeared for the media briefing after the meeting.

 Hajia‎ Ahmed who briefed State House correspondents  said the 34 specific areas were grouped into four major objectives.

She said: “The first is policy, governance and security, second diversification of the economy, the third‎ is creating support for the poor and the vulnerable and the fourth is reflating our economy through  investment.‎”

She said that each of these projects and programmes had very clear deliverables and targets and indicators which would be measured to ensure that the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) deliver on what they committed to implement.

The minister said she expected the National Assembly to transmit the budget to President Muhammadu Buhari either today (Wednesday) or tomorrow.

“On the 2016 budget, I must say the executive and legislature have worked very hard putting things together, reviewing the details of the budget and is at its final stage, so maybe between today and tomorrow ‎National Assembly will start the process of transmitting the details to the President,” she added.