The only way President Muhammadu Buhari can successfully implement the 2019 budget and actualise the minimum wage is to block all leakages, including fuel subsidy, according to an economic and financial analyst, David Ibidapo.
He made this submission while reacting to signing of the 2019 Appropriation Bill into law by the President on Monday.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on the concerns raised by Buhari over the additional N90 billion to the budget, he said the president would have to work out how to implement the budget, and actualise the minimum wage that was recently signed into law.
He added that the Federal Government would be spending a huge amount of money to actualise the minimum wage, not forgetting that meeting the revenue target for the country was still an issue.
“The only way he can successfully implement the budget and actualise the minimum wage is to block leakages by removing things that are not necessary like oil subsidy.
“If oil subsidy is removed, it will be a huge relief for the government.
“In every way, the government should also try to boost revenue and if that happens, it will lead to more economic activities that would spur the growth of the nation’s economy.’’
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, signed the 2019 appropriation bill of N8.92 trillion into law, adding that adjustments to the budget by the National Assembly may affect its smooth implementation.
The budget had an addition of about N90 billion to the N8.83 trillion he submitted to the legislature in November 2018.