Epileptic Government of Kogi State and Delay in 2017 Budget Presentation - Okai Usman Austin

The epileptic Government of Kogi State and delay in 2017 budget presentation.

 

Okai Usman Austin

Governor Yahaya Bello, the first youthful governor of Kogi State with no prior political experience is not ready to learn on the job as evident in the eplieptic Government of Kogi State and delay in 2017 budget presentation. The delay in presentation of the 2017 Appropriation bill by the Kogi State Governor might worsen the standard of living of the people of Kogi State. 

I feel strongly that with the epileptic Government of Kogi State and delay in 2017 budget presentation, the level of corrupt practices in this government might increase owing to the late implementation of capital votes, spending without appropriation thereby scuttle proper monitoring of budget implementation. At a time when a majority of state assemblies have received the 2017 budget proposals submitted by their various governors into law, and even the slow-paced President Muhammadu Buhari has submitted the federal government’s proposal as well, nothing has happened in Kogi State.

With just two weeks left to January 2017, Governor Yahaya Bello is yet to submit his budget proposal to the state assembly. It is disheartening to see that governance has been reduced to childs' play in Kogi state and the lingering suffering of the citizens mean nothing to the Governor who so much believes he is divine and whatever he does is an act of God including non payment of salaries and pension.

Governor Bello has developed the habits of undermining the state Assembly and this development is ugly with corrupt intent. Bello is a guru when it comes to flaunting the due process and spending fund without appropriation and this abnormality is becoming reoccurring decimal due to the inability of the state Assembly to understand its power and capacity to effectively discharging its duties.

Spending money without recourse to law makers for approval is an impeachable offense which  Bello has committed more than any of his predecessors.

But Kogi State assembly has refused to budge. They see little reason to do so, call it toothless dog, you may not be far from reality, based on the facts that Bello has spent billions in buying cars some months back before he approached the State Assembly for virement which he got so easily, thereby, reducing Kogi State Assembly to mere Rubber Stamp and state annual budget to mere ritual .

2017 Budget delay shows unpreparedness of Yahaya Bello administration. The implication is that the budget is going to be presented very late and it may not be ready until the end of the first quarter of 2017, which will create room for Bello to spend tax payers’ money with recklessness. The implications are not funny for the administration of the Kogi people.

Usman Okai Austin.

National Cordinator PDPNYF.

  

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