Presidency cost down by N5bn in 2021 budget

The expenditure ceiling for the Presidency in the 2021 pre-bilateral proposal has been trimmed by N5.3 billion, with a peg at N10bn.

It was contained in a budget circular by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. The amount was N15.3bn in the revised 2020 budget appropriation.

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Tijjani Umar, revealed this in a statement issued on Sunday by Attah Esa, Deputy Director (Information), in the Presidency.

Mr Umar, who cited the September 1, 2020 circular, said ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) had been directed to work assiduously to conclude the budget bilateral meetings to get the 2021 budget ready for transmission to the National Assembly (NASS) by President Muhammadu Buhari this month.

Federal government agencies in the Presidency have held consultations for the 2021 budget.

Umar who led the 2021 budget bilateral meeting between Government Agencies under the Presidency and officials of the finance ministry during a virtual meeting on Saturday, said:  “The preparation of the 2021 budget estimates takes into consideration the policies and strategies contained in the 2021-2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP), which is the Federal Government pre-budget statement.”

Umar also explained the annual budget is being prepared using the Zero-Based Budget (ZBB) approach and in compliance with the government’s policy thrust as articulated in the MTEF/FSP and Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP).