By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan
Chairman of Ibadan branch of Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs Folasade Aladeniyi, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to review the 2024 budget.
She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that this was necessary to curtail wastages by ministries, departments and agencies.
“A look at the budgetary allocations on which the president’s New Year message was based may not readily transmit to better conditions of living for the average Nigerian.
“This is because most of the allocations for the 10 ministries that got the highest allocations are going to be spent on personnel and overhead.
“The Ministry of Works is an exception as it is channelling most of its allocation to capital expenditure.
“The nation is likely to witness improvements in road networks and other infrastructures under the supervision of the ministry,’’ she said.
Also speaking with NAN, another lawyer, Mr Jubreel Kareem, said Nigeria’s economy would improve if people cultivated and produced most of the staple foods consumed in the country.
“You cannot be an importing nation and be talking about good economy.
“Notably, Mr President said in the broadcast that government would put more efforts to ensure increased food production.
“The nation’s security architecture also needs to be overhauled so as to examine factors responsible for security breaches and ensure that resources earmarked for security, welfare, training of officers are judiciously used,’’ he said.
Another legal practitioner, Mr Tobi Fatoki, told NAN that the best way the Federal Government could improve the economy in 2024 was for leaders to lead by example.
“Leaders should reduce wages and allowances of public servants to bring them to commensurate level with those of civil servants, depending on the former’s portfolios and ranks, he said.
“Nigerians should also be encouraged to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods and services to reduce importation and encourage increased local production”, he said.
Fatoki stressed that Nigeria also needed to improve the education sector to reduce or halt the urge of educating its citizens abroad.
“Children of ministers and those of National Assembly members must be able to sit in the same classroom and study in the same educational system as children of the electorates.
"If what Mr. President stated in his speech such as Food Security and Affordability, Tax and Fiscal Policy Reforms, Implementation of New Minimum Wage, Local Refineries Operation in Nigeria this year and Steady Power Supply throughout the federation are strictly adhered to then there will be a rapid economy development.
"I ask: where is the spirit of Patriotism? The President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria should also step up the security of the nation as provided for by Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," he said.
Fatoki also remarked that the Judiciary being the last hope of the common man should not be left out because it's a critical arm of government that can either mar or make a government.
According to Fatoki, if the Judiciary is corrupt it will affect the Nation's image and masses will no longer have hope in governance.
"If the Judiciary's independence and financial autonomy is not carried out as it ought to be, there will still be an undue interference by the Executive Arm of government towards the Judiciary rather than serving as a means of Check and Balance.
"If the rule of law is sacrificed on the alter of selfish interest of those in power, then where is our democracy taking us to?," the legal practitioner queried. (NAN)
Post a Comment