The Nigeria Union of Teacher (NUT) on Friday said it would strictly monitor the implementation of the 2016 budget of Federal and State Governments.

Mr Micheal Olukoya, the President of the union told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that it would no longer be business as usual.

Olukoya said the union would take bold step, beginning from July, by asking questions on what the governments have done so far with the budget.

He said the union would ensure that government give account of all proposed projects and facilities in the education sector.

He remarked that the 2016 budget was an improvement over previous ones but it still fell short of the UNESCO standard of allocating 26 per cent of total budget to education sector.

Although we have not met the UNESCO standard of 26 per cent provision for education, but the 2016 budget is an improvement over previous fiscal proposals.

We do not underestimate the fact that, presently the country is facing some economic challenges, the price of crude oil today is 28 dollar per barrel, which also affected the budget.

If President Buhari’s `Change Mantra’ is anything to go by, it is a right step in the right direction,’’ he said.

Olukoya also noted that the 2016 budget was an improvement over what former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration allocated to the education sector, in spite of his background as a teacher.

He said the union had taken time to study the budget and wished that the National Assembly should fast tract its passage for implementation.

We have read that of the President Buhari and we, as a union, are encouraged that things will be better.

The percentage allocated to education this year is good, but we have not gotten to what we should be,’’ he said.

The NUT president urged Nigerians to be involved in the implementation process of the budget, adding that the union would ask questions and put the government on its toes.

People do not follow-up the budget; after it is passed into law, they do not care about what happens to it or how it is being implemented.

Nigerians should ask question, they must find out how far the government is implementing the budget and track its impact on the people.

By July, we will start asking questions, it will no longer be business as usual for the state and federal governments.

We will ask questions about the infrastructure, feeding, employment and training of teacher as proposed in the budget.

We shall closely monitor the implementation of the 2016 budget,’’ Olukoya said. (NAN)

http://emnaija.com/p/318819/nut-vows-to-monitor-implementation-of-2016-budget