seeking amendment to the 2013 budget, particularly the National Assembly’s control of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) expenditure.
They gave the commendation in separate interviews in Lagos.
Jonathan had on March 19, in separate letters to the two chambers of the National Assembly, sought an amendment to the N4.9 trillion 2013 national budget.
In the letters, the president said that the N4.9 trillion budget could “hamper” the works of the executive if it was implemented as passed by the lawmakers.
Jonathan also listed four controversial clauses in the budget which he urged the lawmakers to review and gave explanations for his request.
Among them is the clause directing the SEC not to spend any fund this year unless in a manner approved by the National Assembly.
Mr Lugard Aimiuwu, President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), said that the president’s action was a welcome development.
Aimiuwu said that the non allocation of fund in the 2013 budget to SEC was like making a law to target an individual and render the capital market impotent.
He said that the disagreement between the presidency and the lawmakers on the budget was healthy for national development.
The NIMN chief said that it was good for the nation’s economic development as long as they were based on issues and principles within optimal time-frame.
He said that the nation’s target of becoming one of the top 20 economies by 2020 might not be possible if the budget was not passed on time.
According to him, many countries start implementing their budgets at the beginning of every year.
Aimiuwu also said that the president’s rejection of quarterly briefing of the lawmakers by the accounting officers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was a good development.
The president had expressed reservations about the demand by the National Assembly that the Accountant-General of the Federation should furnish it with budget releases on a quarterly basis.
“The MDAs should just post such on their Websites instead of the pre-World War Two method of physical briefing.
“Otherwise, officials will do nothing else but to brief, brief and brief. They may be invited for clarifications, if the need arises.
“We must decide whether we are running a presidential or parliamentary system of government,” he said.
In his reaction, Dr Austen Nweze, an economist, said that the posture of the lawmakers on the SEC was “myopic in nature and therefore not in the interest of the nation”.
Nweze, also a lecturer at Pan-African University, Lagos, said that the action was against the nation’s economic development, adding that Nigeria was bigger than any individual.
On the allocation of N273.52 billion for the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) as part of the 2013 amendment, he advised that the money should be channelled properly.
He said that various states should use the allocation to develop infrastructure in their respective states.
According to him, this will in return boost the nation’s industrialisation drive.
The President’s letters, which accompanied the returned document, were addressed to the President of the Senate, David Mark, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.
Jonathan said he was seeking an amendment to the document to enable him to improve the lives of Nigerians.
He said that certain clauses and provisions in the budget were in conflict with the principle of Separation of Powers. (NAN)
