President Goodluck Jonathan has released the total expenditure of N4.92 trillion for the 2013 fiscal year.
Jonathan presented the budget speech titled ‘Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth’ before a joint session of the National Assembly on October 11, 2012.
Read the full speech below…
PROTOCOL
It is my pleasure and honour to present
the 2013 Federal Budget Proposal before this esteemed Joint Session of
the National Assembly. I am particularly delighted to present this
Proposal to you earlier in the year, and soon after the commemoration of
our national independence, to signal our commitment to evolving a new
Nigeria. This Proposal is the product of extensive consultations with
key stakeholders and would further translate the Government’s
development plans into concrete actions.
When I presented the 2012 Budget, you
will recall, I emphasized the fact that it would be ‘a stepping-stone to
the transformation of our economy and country in our walk to economic
freedom …’. I am glad to report that we have made progress in this
regard. Today, in the face of critical resource constraints, the
defining moment of our work is in actualizing our promises to Nigerians.
We need to create a structured economy where everybody plays by the
same rules, and contributes their fair bit. That is the Nigeria our
heroes past craved for; that is the Nigeria we believe in; and that is
the Nigeria we are building together.
GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
As we build this nation and walk the
path of development, we must be mindful of the realities of our
circumstances and those of the changing global economy. This Budget
Proposal was therefore designed against the backdrop of global economic
uncertainty. By the end of the second quarter of this year, the global
economy was recovering but at a very slow pace. Growth in a number of
major emerging market economies, has been lower than forecast. Overall,
global growth is projected at 3.3% in 2012 and 3.6% in 2013.
President Jonathan, Senate President
David Mark and House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal during the budget
presentation, Wednesday, in Abuja. Photo: State House.
The uncertainty surrounding the global
economy, which could have adverse effects on commodity prices,
highlights the downside risks for our economy. The oil market is well
known for its volatility. We recall the 2008 experience at the height of
the global economic downturn when oil prices fell almost overnight from
$147 per barrel to $38 per barrel. This threat of oil price volatility
remains constant and underscores the need to rely on a robust and
prudent methodology to estimate the benchmark price.
The global economic slowdown can also
have far-reaching implications for the demand for our export
commodities, given that the Euro zone and the USA account for over 50%
of the nation’s crude oil exports. These global developments are also
being transmitted to our economy through a dampening effect on foreign
capital inflows and remittances by Diaspora Nigerians. Fellow Nigerians,
these are uncertain times in the world economy, and my Administration
is taking necessary steps to mitigate possible adverse effects of the
global economic slowdown on Nigeria. I assure you that we are going to
build up the necessary savings to protect the economy against a possible
global recession or a slow recovery.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENT
In spite of the foregoing, our economy
has done relatively well. Over the past nine months, through a number of
initiatives, we have created new jobs directly and supported many young
entrepreneurs running SMEs to create jobs. Nigeria is looking to become
more self-reliant again in food security, and we are increasing local
content in our manufacturing processes and the oil and gas sector.
As at the end of the second quarter, the
economy recorded an impressive growth of 6.28% compared to 5.4%
forecast for sub-Saharan Africa. It is gratifying to note that the
non-oil sector remains the main driver of growth. There are also
improvements in other macroeconomic indicators. Inflation has dropped
from 12.9% in June 2012 to 11.7% in August 2012, and our goal is to
reduce it further. Our foreign reserves now stand at US$41.6 billion –
the highest it has been in over 2 years. We intend to continue with our
programme of fiscal discipline and prudent monetary policy in order to
continue to improve our country’s macroeconomic environment.
Furthermore, in addition to being
upgraded last year by Fitch and S&P rating agencies, Nigeria has now
been included in the JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index, signifying
increasing investor confidence in our economy. In addition, the World
Economic Forum has upgraded our ranking from 127 to 115 in the global
competitiveness index.
Here in Nigeria, we do not join the
debate on fiscal consolidation versus growth because we believe in the
need to do both; hence, we are continuing our focus of fiscal
consolidation with inclusive growth. The fiscal consolidation policy has
helped to strengthen our finances with a programmed budget deficit of
about 2.85% of GDP in 2012, now projected to drop to 2.17% in 2013.
Moreover, the share of capital expenditure in the total budget is
increasing as we gradually reduce recurrent expenditures and also
develop non-oil revenue sources.
REVIEW OF THE 2012 BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION
Fellow Compatriots, the 2012 Budget was
focused on achieving Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth using
the budget balance as a fiscal anchor. In that respect, while investing
in key priorities, the budget also ensured that the deficit followed a
downward trend over the medium term. This is being done through a more
aggressive revenue collection drive and prudent management of available
resources.
On the expenditure side, the
implementation of the 2012 Budget is on track, having commenced
effectively in April when it became law. We have so far released N711.6
billion to MDAs for the implementation of their capital budgets while
further releases are to follow shortly for the fourth quarter. The
continued implementation of the 2011 capital budget in the first quarter
of 2012, clearly affected the implementation of the 2012 Budget.
I have taken a personal interest in the
budget implementation since May by chairing weekly sessions with
Ministers and Heads of parastatals on their progress in this regard. We
are determined to use the instrument of the budget to improve the
welfare of Nigerians. You would recall my assurance to Nigerians that
subsequent budgets will be presented earlier to the National Assembly.
It is in this spirit that I lay this Proposal before this Assembly
today, to give sufficient time for deliberation on the Proposal and
approval of the budget, and to enable us commence implementation from
January 1st 2013.
Let me stress that Government remains
focused on the tangible outcomes from the implementation of the
Appropriation Acts, not just the amounts spent. In this respect, I have
signed Performance Agreement Contracts with my Ministers with a view to
ensuring delivery of projects and programmes in their respective
budgets. The Ministers in turn, are signing similar agreements with
their Permanent Secretaries, Heads of parastatals and Directors to
cascade down the need for responsibility and accountability. Key
government officials with responsibility for implementing different
aspects of the budget will be appraised based on these performance
agreements. My goal is to ensure optimal implementation of our annual
budgets.
Government is also determined to reduce
the cost of governance. We are reviewing the recommendations aimed at
rationalizing Agencies of the Federal Government with overlapping
functions. This has been taken into account in the preparation of the
2013 Budget, and we expect some modest cost savings from this exercise
in the course of the 2013 fiscal year. However, more significant
progress will be made in 2014, as we work with the Legislature to
harmonise those Agencies that have enabling laws, but which also have
duplicative mandates.
Subsidy Reinvestments and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P)
You will recall that we had assured
Nigerians that the proceeds of the partial withdrawal of petroleum
subsidies will be applied to implementing the Subsidy Reinvestment
Programme (SURE-P). The implementation of this programme is continuing
over the medium-term.
In the 2012 fiscal year, we had voted
N180 billion for the implementation of social safety net programmes,
road and rail infrastructure projects. So far, N36.5 billion of this
amount has been utilized to support maternal and child health programmes
as well as mass transit, roads and rail projects and job creation
through the Community Services and Public Works programme. The SURE-P
Board under the able chairmanship of Dr. Christopher Kolade is presently
working hard to ensure the successful oversight of the implementation
of this programme. We are grateful to them for their hard work and
patriotism.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 2012 FISCAL YEAR
In the 2012 Budget, Government outlined
some projects and programmes that were to be implemented in key sectors
of the economy in order to improve the livelihood of Nigerians. We have
numerous activities in various sectors such as: Power, Health,
Agriculture, Education, Housing, Transport, Aviation, etc. Let me
highlight a few of these sectors.
Power
The Power Sector Reform is on course.
Our efforts have begun to pay off as we have improved power supply to
various parts of the country. Our gas-to-power and other initiatives are
making this possible, but I acknowledge the fact that we still have a
long way to go. As you may be aware, the ongoing privatisation of the
generation and distribution companies has reached an advanced stage. In
some cases, Preferred Bidders have already emerged. When completed, the
programme will bring into the sector significant private investment,
along with the requisite power output.
We have accomplished a number of goals in the Power sector reform programme in line with the Roadmap, including:
a. Completion of new units at our thermal power stations, to increase generation;
b. Rehabilitation of existing power infrastructure, which has yielded up to 1,000 mega watts of additional electricity;
c. Fast-Tracking 3 NIPP projects, which will bring an additional 1,055 mega watts by the end of the year; and
d. Facilitating a power and gas
financing package, which includes Government Guarantees, proposed
Infrastructure Bonds of about $1billion, and $150 million of external
funding from the African Development Bank to support continued gas
supply and the liberalization of the power sector.
Agriculture
My Administration has instituted key
policy reforms to establish staple crop processing zones aimed at
attracting the private sector into areas of high production, reducing
post-harvest losses, and adding value to locally produced commodities.
So far we have succeeded in attracting $7.8 billion investment
commitments to the agricultural sector. These investments and the value
chain approach being used to transform the sector have the capacity to
create 3.5 million additional jobs in the medium term by 2015.
•You will recall that Government
provided incentives to support cassava value chains, including zero duty
on machinery and equipment to process high quality cassava flour.
Cassava bread is increasingly commercially available with 20% cassava
flour content. In addition, a total of one million metric tonnes of
dried cassava chips, are being exported to China this year.
• Achieving self-sufficiency in rice
production in 2015 remains our target. In response to our new fiscal
measures, 13 new private sector rice mills with a capacity of about
240,000 metric tonnes have been established. These mills buy and process
local paddy and create employment for Nigerians.
Housing
Fellow Nigerians, the provision of
affordable housing is one of the Administration’s strategic imperatives
for guaranteeing our citizens’ productivity and well-being. We are
creating an enabling environment for the private sector to produce much
needed housing, whilst creating jobs in the process. To facilitate this,
I will be holding a presidential retreat on Housing in early November,
to discuss policy and modalities for dealing with land titling issues,
developing an affordable mortgage finance system and reducing the high
cost of housing construction.
In the meantime, under various social
housing programmes, close to 2,000 housing units have been completed,
while over 24,000 housing units are at various stages of completion.
This is outside housing being constructed for the use of the Armed
Forces and Paramilitary services. The Federal Government has entered
into Partnership Agreements with several States for the provision of
6,000 housing units. Another 600 housing units have already been
completed under the direct construction scheme of the Federal Housing
Authority in these States. Gradually, we are ensuring that more
Nigerians enjoy the benefits of having their own homes.
Transport
You are already familiar with the
improvement in the functioning of our ports, the details of which I
provided in my 52nd Independence Anniversary Speech. With regard to Rail
transport, in our continuing effort to boost infrastructure development
in the country, work is ongoing to rehabilitate the rail system across
the country. These include the Lagos-Kano line as well as the Port
Harcourt-Maiduguri line. Our people have started enjoying rail service
again.
Our railway modernisation programme is
progressing with the Abuja-Kaduna line now at 46% completion, while work
on the Lagos-Ibadan line is to commence soon. We also expect to
complete the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri line in 2013. In the same vein, we
are fast-tracking the implementation of the mass transit Abuja Light
Rail system. When completed, it will improve transportation for all
residents in the FCT, especially workers living in the satellite towns.
Inland Waterways: Our inland waterways
programme is on track to boost commerce in the surrounding communities,
and I had the pleasure of commissioning the Onitsha Inland Port on 30th
August 2012.
Aviation
We are working hard to improve the
regulatory regime and safety of the Aviation sector and will continue to
look for ways to support its development. This Administration
identifies this sector as a key part of the Transformation Agenda. As
such, we have embarked on a comprehensive programme to transform our
airports to world-class standards and improve air travel safety
standards across the country.
For instance, the remodelling of airport
terminals and the upgrading of airport runways are presently at
advanced stages of implementation across virtually all our airports. In
addition, we have just concluded arrangements to commence the
construction of five brand new terminals in Kano, Port Harcourt, Lagos,
Abuja and Enugu, and six perishable cargo terminals, early next year. In
line with international best practice, these new terminals will be
private sector-managed.
Roads: We know that Nigerians are
disturbed about the state of our major highways. We are addressing this
issue frontally. With the rains receding, the Ministry of Works will
intensify the construction and rehabilitation of major roads in the
country, for example, the dualization of the Abuja-Lokoja road, the
Benin-Ore-Shagamu road, and the Kano-Maiduguri road. Also, the
Enugu-Port-Harcourt road rehabilitation has been awarded to four
contractors in order to fast-track its completion. It is gratifying to
note that resources from the Petroleum Subsidy Reinvestment Programme
are being used to supplement the regular budget for these projects.
The Petroleum Sector
The petroleum sector continues to play a
crucial role in our economy, even as we seek diversification. In this
regard, we are taking steps to modernise the sector. A robust Petroleum
Industry Bill (PIB) has been delivered as promised to the National
Assembly for consideration. When passed into law, the Bill will provide
the new legal framework that will govern Nigeria’s Oil and Gas
industry. This Bill, which encompasses major reforms, will encourage
additional investments in the sector, create accountability and
transparency, and ensure that the management of our petroleum sector is
commercially driven.
Our gas to power initiatives are moving
firmly ahead, with the 12-month gas supply emergency plan already
yielding more than the targeted volumes of gas for power generation.
With respect to the Petroleum Subsidy
Programme, Government is succeeding in substantially cleaning up the
management of the petroleum subsidy regime. We are tightening up the
payment regime, to weed out corruption while working hard to recover
monies fraudulently obtained from the subsidy regime. The EFCC is
prosecuting those found wanting and the efforts to crack down on
corruption in this sector will continue.
On Frontier Exploration, the
Government’s drive to build up the nation’s oil reserves through
exploration of new frontiers for oil and gas production is beginning to
yield results with news of the discovery of crude oil in some inland
sedimentary basins in the country. These include the Chad Basin, Benue
Trough, Yola Basin and Anambra Basin amongst others. We are determined
to further develop on these findings and expand the scope of such
explorations. To support this, we have raised the provision for frontier
exploration services from N12 billion in 2012 to N16 billion in 2013.
Job Creation
Fellow Compatriots, in spite of the
economic growth noted earlier, it is clear that as a nation, we still
face economic disparities across the country. This constitutes an
obstacle to sustainable development as it limits improvement in living
standards, output and social cohesion which are key factors for
achieving inclusive growth. Our challenge therefore, transcends how to
achieve growth. Our objective is to achieve inclusive growth by
identifying and developing job creation opportunities. We have mentioned
the 3.5 million jobs we aim to create in agriculture and more jobs in
the housing and construction sectors, solid minerals sector, aviation
and the creative industry.
In my Independence Day Speech, I spoke
of the 80,000-110,000 jobs we are supporting young entrepreneurs to
create through the YouWin programme. We have received numerous
testimonies from young men and women who have been able to expand their
businesses through the programme. We have just launched a second round
of the competition targeting only women entrepreneurs. Across the
country, our youth are developing new ideas and enterprises, and we must
support them.
I launched the Community Service, Women
and Youth Empowerment Programme (CSWYEP) under the SURE-P in February
2012. This is now working in pilot phase in 14 states, and to be
replicated in other states in 2 weeks. We also have the Graduate
Internship Programme, in which participating private companies provide
one-year internships to 50,000 graduates, paid by the Federal
Government. So far, 700 firms, and 20,000 young graduates have applied
to participate in this scheme.
36. Fellow Nigerians, even as we
review our achievements in 2012, we are also conscious of the
unprecedented floods, which have ravaged many parts of our country,
displacing tens of thousands of fellow Nigerians, and causing massive
destruction of property, farmlands, and infrastructure across the
country. My heartfelt sympathy goes to the affected families and
communities.
37. Yesterday, I made a broadcast on
the Federal Government’s actions to deal with the situation. I
authorized the disbursement of N17.6 billion to States and MDAs to help
bring succour to our fellow citizens affected by the floods. This will
complement ongoing efforts by Federal and State agencies, and private
initiatives.
A Presidential Technical Committee to
properly assess the extent of the impact, and propose a rehabilitation
strategy, has submitted an Interim Report and is continuing to visit all
the affected communities. I have also set up a National Committee on
Flood Relief and Rehabilitation to assist the Federal Government to
raise funds to mitigate the pains and ensure effective post-impact
rehabilitation of victims.
I have also directed that the Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development put in place a flood recovery food
production plan. This will include the provision of early maturing
varieties of maize, which mature in 60 days, to several flood affected
areas. In addition, flood-tolerant rice varieties are being procured
for flooded rice growing areas. We will also accelerate dry season
production of major food crops.
Security
Fellow Compatriots, we are conscious of
the fact that without security, no meaningful development can take place
in our land; and our collective efforts at building the nation would
only amount to little. This is why we channelled a great deal of
resources to security in the 2012 Budget. We remain conscious of the
impact of security challenges facing the country and are determined to
bring the situation under control.
I commiserate with all our citizens who
lost loved ones in the recent Mubi killings and all the other acts of
senseless destruction of lives and properties in the country. We have
already made arrests in the Mubi case, and I want to assure Nigerians
that all the culprits will be made to face the full weight of the law. I
want to thank our brave men and women of the security services for
their commitment. I also want to acknowledge and thank the various state
Governors for their cooperation and untiring effort to ensure peace in
their domains. The unity of Nigeria is not negotiable
THEME OF THE 2013 BUDGET
Theme
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, you
will recall that in furtherance of my Administration’s efforts to
transform our economy, the 2012 Budget was established on four main
pillars – Macroeconomic stability; Structural reforms; Governance &
institutions; and Investing in priority sectors. The 2013 Budget
promotes continuity of these pillars and is designed with the theme:
fiscal consolidation with inclusive growth. We will remain prudent with
our fiscal resources but also ensure that the Nigerian economy keeps
growing and creating jobs. To this end, the government will continue
with the medium-term theme and interventions that are consistent with
the objectives of the Transformation Agenda.
Macroeconomic Stability
One key plank upon which our economic
transformation is based is the achievement of macroeconomic stability.
My Administration has made significant progress in putting the finances
of the nation on a sound footing and laying the foundation for rapid and
sustainable growth. We will stay focused on maintaining macroeconomic
stability in Nigeria.
Budget Structure
Now let me turn to the structure of the
2013 Budget. In recent years, recurrent expenditure has tended to crowd
out capital expenditure in the national budget. Over the 2013-2015
medium-term, my Administration will continue to implement measures aimed
at correcting this imbalance in the budget structure in a viable and
sustainable manner.
In the 2012 Budget speech, I noted that
Government was going to focus on cutting recurrent expenditure to
sustainable levels through reduction of waste, corruption and
duplication in the functions of government agencies. In this respect,
the biometric verification of employees is being extended to all
agencies of Government, while the process for rationalizing public
agencies and reducing duplication of mandates among different government
agencies has begun, following the Report of the Oronsaye Committee.
I am therefore pleased to announce that
the share of recurrent spending in aggregate expenditure is set to
further reduce from 71.47% in 2012 to 68.7% in the 2013 Budget, while
capital expenditure as a share of aggregate spending is set to increase
from 28.53% in 2012 to 31.3% in 2013.
Public Debt Management
Government will continue to exercise
fiscal prudence and limit its borrowing requirements in compliance with
the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007. Consequently, we have developed a
responsible domestic debt management strategy that, for the first time,
seeks to start paying off our domestic debt rather than rolling it over.
In this respect, a sinking fund of N100 billion is being established in
the 2013 fiscal year to be used for repaying Government’s maturing debt
obligations and to curb the rising domestic debt profile. We have
further reduced our annual domestic borrowing from N852 billion in 2011,
N744 billion in 2012, and to N727 billion in 2013.
THE 2013 BUDGET
The 2013 Budget is underpinned by the
following parameters which reflect Government’s prudent economic
policies in an uncertain global economic environment:
• Oil production of 2.53 million barrels per day, up from 2.48 million barrels per day for 2012.
• Benchmark oil price of
US$75/barrel, a modest increase from the US$72/barrel approved in the
2012 Budget. This benchmark price is based on a well established
econometric methodology of estimating oil price moving averages.
• Projected GDP growth rate which is
now estimated at 6.5% compared to 6.85% in the Fiscal Strategy Paper.
The revision is underpinned by the fact that the severe floods
experienced over large parts of the country are expected to impact on
economic activity in 2013, especially agriculture. However, the growth
prospects may improve with the plan to boost dry season farming.
Revenue
Based on these assumptions, the gross
federally collectible revenue is projected at N10.84 trillion, of which
the total revenue available for the Federal Government’s Budget is
forecast at N3.89 trillion, representing an increase of about 9% over
the estimate for 2012. Non-oil revenue is projected to continue to grow
in 2013 as the ongoing reforms in our revenue collecting agencies, and
the implementation of initiatives to further develop the non-oil sector
continue to yield results.
Expenditure Proposals
An aggregate expenditure of N4.92
trillion is proposed for the main budget of the 2013 fiscal year,
representing a modest increase of about 5% over the N4.7 trillion
appropriated for 2012. This is made up of N380.02 billion for Statutory
Transfers, N591.76 billion for Debt Service, N2.41 trillion for
Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure and N1.54 trillion for Capital
Expenditure.
Based on the above, the fiscal deficit
is projected to improve to about 2.17% of GDP in the 2013 Budget
compared to 2.85% in 2012. This is well within the threshold stipulated
in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and clearly highlights our
commitment to fiscal prudence. We are determined to further rein in
domestic borrowing, and this way, ensure that our debt stock remains at a
sustainable level.
Our focus on critical economic and
social sectors continues. Some of these sectors are largely driven by
private sector activity, while others require a great deal of public
sector support. Some key allocations are as follows: Works – N183.5
billion; Power – N74.26 billion; Education – N426.53 billion; Health –
N279.23 billion; Defence – N348.91 billion; Police – N319.65 billion;
and Agriculture & Rural Development – N81.41 billion.
The power and gas sectors require a lot
of investments to sustain our supply improvements. We shall therefore
complement available resources with a proposed Infrastructure Euro Bond
of about $1 billion in order to complete gas pipelines and other
infrastructure investments. We have also programmed other grants and
soft credits critical to infrastructure and other sectors in our medium
term external borrowing plan.
The SURE-P will continue with the
expected resources of N180 billion in 2013 augmented by the projected
2012 unspent balances bringing the total to about N273.5 billion. We
hope to make further progress in the programme, providing additional
infrastructure investments and social safety net schemes for Nigerians. I
am pleased to also lay before this esteemed Assembly, the 2013 Budget
for the SURE-P.
Fiscal Policy
To promote Nigerian agriculture and
industry, we will continue to implement supportive fiscal measures for
some priority areas. You will recall that in my 2012 Budget speech, I
announced fiscal measures on rice, cassava, wheat, and machinery for the
agriculture and power sectors. In this regard, I am pleased to announce
the following additional measures which will be effective from 1st
January 2013:
a. Sugar: Machinery and spare parts
imported for local sugar manufacturing industries will now attract 0%
duty; there will also be a 5-year tax holiday for ‘sugarcane to sugar’
value chain investors. Furthermore, import duty and levy on raw sugar
will be 10% and 50% respectively, while refined sugar will attract 20%
duty and 60% levy;
b. Rice: A 10% import duty and 100% levy will be applied to both brown and polished rice;
c. Aircraft: All commercial aircraft
and aircraft spare parts imported for use in Nigeria will now attract 0%
duty and 0% VAT. This will appreciably improve safety in our skies as
newer fleet and less onerous maintenance will prevail;
d. Solid Minerals: Machinery and
equipment imported for use in the solid minerals sector will now attract
0% import duty and 0% VAT; and
e. Public Mass Transit: In order to
encourage the production of mass transit vehicles in Nigeria, duty on
Completely Knocked Down components (CKD) for mass transit buses of at
least 40-seater capacity, will now be 0%, down from 5%. Government is
desirous of supporting green growth and, in this regard, will explore
options for providing incentives for energy efficient vehicles from the
2014 fiscal year.
Gender Empowerment
This administration is gender friendly
and has worked to improve the position of women in society and empower
them economically. Nevertheless, to further integrate women in the
various sectors, we have developed an innovative approach to
mainstreaming gender issues starting with 5 pilot ministries –
Agriculture, Health, Communication Technology, Water Resources and
Works. These ministries are signing MOUs with the Ministry of Women
Affairs to deliver on specific services for women.
a. The Ministry of Agriculture, for
example, will work with the Ministry of Communication Technology to
ensure that 5 million women farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs
receive mobile phones to be able to access information on agro-inputs
through an e-wallet scheme.
b. The Ministry of Health, in
addition to scaling up its ongoing ‘Save a Million Lives’ initiative,
plans to give back health and hope to one-third of the pool of young
girls and women who have been waiting a long time for V.V.F repairs
through surgery and economic rehabilitation. In addition, we are
up-scaling routine immunization.
c. For 2013, the Ministry of Works
plans to increase the number of women that are employed in public works
programmes as contractors, workers and project evaluators, setting
itself a target of 35% for women in FERMA rehabilitation work. In every
geopolitical zone, at least 3 roads leading to areas where women’s
socio-economic activities are concentrated, will be prioritised and
completed.
To support these activities, we have set
aside the sum of N3 billion to be disbursed to participating MDAs as
incentives for them to deliver on these targets. Our focus on empowering
women is part of our agenda for improving the country’s human
development indicators. In this regard, we shall not relent in our
efforts to improve access and quality in our health and education
sectors.
Sports
The performance of our sportsmen and
women continues to strike an important chord for all Nigerians across
the country. We want to take our sports to great heights again. We all
recall our disappointment with our performance in the recent Summer
Olympics games in London. At the same time, we were very delighted with
the success of our Paralympics athletes.
My Administration is committed to
addressing the challenges faced by our sports men and women. Later this
month, I will be hosting a Presidential retreat on sports in order to
strategise on ways to support our sports sector to achieve greater
heights.
CONCLUSION
Mr. Senate President, Mr. Speaker,
Distinguished and Honourable Members of this esteemed Assembly, Fellow
Nigerians, the Budget Proposal I lay before you today represents our
continued drive for real and sustainable growth for the wellbeing of
Nigerians.
It is a budget that gives priority to
our concerns for security, infrastructure, food security and human
development sectors. It is a Budget that introduces a series of
innovative features. This Budget is a push in the right direction borne
out of our well thought-out and articulated developmental policies.
This is a budget for every Nigerian. It
belongs to the farmer, the investor, the entrepreneur, the youth and the
elderly. Yes, we have challenges, but also incredible opportunities.
Ours is the task of transforming these opportunities into real, tangible
outcomes which all our people can experience and call their own. We
need the cooperation of everyone to make it work, to grow the economy,
and to create jobs for our people. I continue to call on all Nigerians
to act. Making Nigeria work begins with you and me.
Finally, I must restate my appreciation
of the contributions and cooperation of the Legislature in discharging
our collective responsibility to build the nation of our dreams.
I look forward to an expeditious
consideration and passage of this Proposal, as we strive to guarantee
positive socio-economic transformation for the benefit of our people.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I thank you
No comments:
Post a Comment