In apparent response to the multiple scandals that attended his presentation of the 2016 budget, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s has sacked the Director-General of Budget, Yahaya Gusau.
In a state house statement today, President Buhari approved the appointment of Tijjani Mohammed Abdullahi as the Director-General of Budget to replace the sacked one.
Abdullahi, a fellow of the Certified National Accountants of Nigeria, and a banker of repute with experience in managing public finance is expected to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning to efficiently deliver on the mandates of the Budget Office of the Federation.
The statement signed by the Special Adviser on media and publicity to the President, Femi Adesina said that President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Ben Ifeanyi Akabueze as the Special Adviser on Planning to the Minister of Budget and National Planning.
Akabueze, who is the immediate past Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, has worked in senior management positions in Citi Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa, NAL Merchant Bank, Sterling Bank and BIA Consulting Limited, among others.
He is Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers; Fellow, Institute of Credit Administrators and Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers.
Buhari has proposed a record 6.1 trillion naira budget this year to help revive an economy reeling from the impact of the low price of oil, the source of two-thirds of government revenue. Brent crude, which compares with Nigerian oil grades, fell 0.3 percent to $33.21 as of 8:33 a.m. in London, down 42 percent this year. Additional spending will be funded through tax revenue and the deficit of 3 trillion naira through borrowing, according to the Finance Ministry. [myad]
