‘Merger of Planning, Budget Ministry will aid development’

STATISTICIAN General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, has described recent fusion of Budget and National Planning under one Ministry as a step in the right direction, adding that it will guarantee proper monitoring and rapid development for the country.

Kale, who stated this in Abuja at this year’s African Statistics Day Forum, explained that budget is an offshoot of planning, saying that one cannot be separated from the other.

“It is commendable that government decided to finally merge budget and planning together under one parent ministry, that is how it is supposed to be. This is because budget is a product of planning. You can’t have a budget without first planning for it,” he said.

He emphasized the need for reliable statistics, adding that it is more than ever before required to help the current government in drawing up a budget that addresses the needs of the people and executed to the letters within a specific time frame.

Head of Department of Economics, University of Abuja, Prof. Sarah Olanrewaju Anyanwu, who was special guest of honour at the occasion, said also that merger of Planning and Budget will help government track progress so far made and to ensure that funds do not leak or get diverted.

While calling the Federal Government to hasten plans to diversify the economy, Prof. Anyanwu stressed the need for government to foster inter-agency cooperation in order to ensure uniform agenda of change which she said can only be achieved through mobilisation and training.