Mr Party Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has urged the Nigerian government to promptly evaluate the 2024 national budget and reallocate resources to vital regions.
Obi’s demand for review follows last week’s budget padding scandal, in which Bauchi Central senator Abdul Ningi alleged that nearly N3.7 trillion was not tied to any project. The Senate suspended him for three months, saying his views soiled the parliament, Presidency, and might incite Nigerians against the Federal Government.
Obi said on his verified X account that after following the 2024 budget debates and reading some of the budgetary clauses and resource allocations, a review of the appropriations was necessary.
“The Executive and Legislative arms should initiate an immediate review of the budget as it is still in the early days of implementation in order to enable them do urgent virement of resources to critical areas,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor underlined the need of using national resources in accordance with the country’s development goals for the public welfare.
He asked the executive and legislative branches to refocus resources on security, hunger and poverty eradication, electricity, healthcare, and education.
He worried about national insecurity, as seen by kidnappings and deaths of innocent people, adding that such a narrative deters international and local investment, threatening the economy.
Obi cited reports that revealed that Nigeria has become one of the hungriest nations in the world and one of the most difficult nations in the world to live in “with food prices constantly going out of the reach of most Nigerians” and “power supply is abysmally poor.”
On healthcare, he said: “About 80 percent of our primary healthcare centres are not functional. The cost of medical treatments and medicines have gone beyond the reach of most Nigerians.”
He also underscored the need for the government to make a serious effort to increase access to education, especially for young people, noting that Nigeria, regrettably, now has “the highest number of out-of-school children, with about 20 million out-of-school children.”
“We need to take our children off the streets and give them access to basic education.
“I, therefore, urge our executive and legislative arms to consider the many challenges facing our nation and re-allocate resources to these very critical areas. This is the time for complete sacrifice. A New Nigeria is still very Possible,” Obi added.