The senate committee of finance has expressed worries over the insufficient funds to ministries and Government Agencies.
The chairman of the committee, senator Solom Olamilekan and other members gave this indication during a budget defence of the ministry of finance in Abuja.
The chairman in his submission asked for some clarification on the issue of insufficient funding of some agencies citing examples of offices of the accountant general and fiscal responsibility commission.
Responding on this issue, minister of finance, budget and National planning, Zainab Ahmed said even though these offices are important so be it with all the ministries but within the Envelop system they have a practical limitations of funds as contained in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal strategy Paper- MTEF and FSP so they can not do otherwise.
She added that the funds are limited and the ministeries are at the prorogative to utilize the funds given based on their priorities.
The minister further explained that the MTEF has a sealing of personal and capital been approved to MDA’s and the 1.4 trillion capital is what has been approved in the MTEF therefore we are limited to this figures and that what they can only distribute, saying even the ministers have been asking for more but nothing can be done.
The minister also reminded the gathering that the revenues are what they are what need to be done is prioritize what you should do with the available funds given, considering the limited resources we have within the Envelop system budgeting.
Bashir Mayere