The Presidency on Sunday stated that it will welcome “well-meaning criticism” of its policies, budget and expenditure.
Reacting to the mounting criticism of some controversial allocation in the 2016 Appropriation Bill currently being debated by the National Assembly, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement that criticism is the only way the Muhammadu Buhari administration will achieve the change promised Nigerian.
He said copies of the budget were at the National Assembly and the website of the budget office and Nigerians who are interested can read it with a view of making observations.
However, in what is his second response to a report by PREMIUM TIMES that the 2016 budget proposal, currently being debated at the National Assembly, allocated more funds for capital projects at the State House Medical Centre than all teaching hospitals in the country, Mr. Shehu said the budget office confirmed that more money was allocated to the teaching hospitals than the State House hospital.
“In reaction to a newspaper story that said: “2016 Budget: Buhari to spend more on State House Clinic than on all federal government-owned teaching hospitals,” the Budget Office supplied a summary of the allocations to the various sectors under the Ministry of Health, which showed clearly that the published story was inaccurate. The budget office has affirmed that in terms of both capital and recurrent allocations, the draft budget has put far more money in the 17 teaching hospitals than it did in the State House Clinic,” he said.
As explained after the original statement by Mr Shehu, PREMIUM TIMES maintains that at no time did our story compared both recurrent and capital allocations to the teaching hospitals with those of the State House clinic. Our report specifically compared the allocation for capital projects of the State House clinic to allocation for capital projects of the teaching hospitals.
Just like we stated in our story, we maintain that the presidency proposed to spend more on capital projects at the State House clinic than it proposed to spend in all teaching hospitals combined.
Budget not perfect
In the statement, Mr. Shehu admitted that the budget may contain some imperfection and that the government is open to corrections from Nigerian.
“We are not by any stretch of imagination suggesting that the draft budget is beyond comments or reproach. Nor do we wish to dwell on this simply to make a point.
“To do that will drive away good citizens from pointing out needed corrections and, ultimately defeating the change mantra of the administration,” he said.
“The budget is a Nigerian budget and citizens reserve the right to examine its content and provide their own perspectives.
“As the draft goes through the approval process, this and many other aspects will continue to generate interest, criticism, commendation and sometimes condemnation in discussions in the parliament, the media and the court of public opinion. We believe that the process of “change” will be affected by, and stands to gain from these debates especially where there is good faith on all sides.
“Government has no reason whatsoever to mislead the citizens on the budget and on all other matters for whatever reason,” he added.
www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198129-2016-budget-not-perfect-welcome-criticisms-presidency-tells-nigerians.html

Jokers

This is a listening government

A performing government

They have acknowledged that their policies are not perfect and fully open to criticism and change

While the majority of Nigerians are in support of the anti corruption stance of the government, the remaining 5% are adopting any corrupt politician as their beloved child

Suddenly, Fayose, Sambo, Dasuki, FFK have become red cap chiefs because of their corrupt exploits

God bless Buhari and his government. We will shout at you when we notice errors and we expect you to correct them

Nigerians will never allow the IPOBian theory of stealing is not corruption again

In phyno's voice, 'ndi ara,ndi ara, lele lekwa ha'!
Yeye government for yeye followers
Mazi

Thats goverment of d pple,by d pple nd for d pple,wailers oya gwan suck rubber gum

"Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion and adoption" - John Stuart Mill

It is not unexpected or strange that we are having all these hues and cries from the opposition, with time they will understand that the Buhari led government is not the clueless and inept administration they were used to but a people oriented government with a mission of action.

The problem I hv with this administration is the way they raised our expectations but alas dey are being realistic now but still havn a problem saying things d way dey are instead they keep painting evrytin.

This administration shd simply tell us frankly whr dey want to focus on and get to work abt it and wen dey start doing all dat dey shd organise demselves.

Lalasticlala

Food don done

mazzi:
****

Imagine a government budget such amount of money for just one hospital while majority of your tribesmen are crying of hunger and you saying trash about 5%.

Yes I am one of the 95% and I am a woman. Thank God I dont live in IPOB land where every guy in the hood abuses women. I live in Nigeria and not IPOB land

For the first time, I'm proud to be a Nigerian

We have a president that is willing to face the challenges facing this nation

We must fight corruption. I know you dont like it but sorry, 95% of us love it

God bless Nigeria

Ordinary to present a budget that will be approved by the National Assembly is so difficult for these people, this is highly embarrassing

Bigprozzie:


Yes I am one of the 95% and I am a woman

For the first time, I'm proud to be a Nigerian

We have a president that is willing to face the challenges facing this nation

We must fight corruption. I know you dont like it but sorry, 95% of us love it

God bless Nigeria

thank GOD majority of nigerans don't have light brain like you if not,politicians will be using their brain the way they are using yours.

Please as you have grown yansh and breast,you really need to grow brain also.thanks

mazzi:
thank GOD majority of nigerans don't have light brain like if not,politicians will be using their brain the way they are using your own.

Please as you have grown yansh and breast,you really need to grow brain also.thanks

No it is IPOB that has to grow up

There is no room for corruption anymore

Adjust and find a proper job

Be a man and stop abusing women

Be a man and find a job that does not involve corruption

Dalu

Bigprozzie:


No it is IPOB that has to grow up

There is no room for corruption anymore

Adjust and find a proper job

Be a man and stop abusing women

Be a man and find a job that does not involve corruption

Dalu

lolz see your mouth like no room for corruption.

if you don't know the meaning of corruption,ask an intelligent person in your family to interpret buhari's budget for you and after that, I can assure you that you will be teaching people what corruption is all about.

mazzi:
lolz see your mouth like no room for corruption.if yuo don't know the meaning of corruption,ask intelligent person in your family to interpret buhari's budget for you after that I can assure you that you will be teaching people what corruption is all about.

Stealing is no longer corruption sir

Abuse me as much as you want. I guess it is the normal behavior in IPOB land

God bless Nigeria

God bless the greatest President Nigeria has ever had- PMB

Bigprozzie:
This is a listening government

A performing government

They have acknowledged that their policies are not perfect and fully open to criticism and change

While the majority of Nigerians are in support of the anti corruption stance of the government, the remaining 5% are adopting any corrupt politician as their beloved child

Suddenly, Fayose, Sambo, Dasuki, FFK have become red cap chiefs because of their corrupt exploits

God bless Buhari and his government. We will shout at you when we notice errors and we expect you to correct them

Nigerians will never allow the IPOBian theory of stealing is not corruption again

Guuuuuuyyyyyy... don't b dumb now..pleaseeeee

Hey, thought u are on vacation?

crixtex:

Guuuuuuyyyyyy... don't b dumb now..pleaseeeee

Thank you sir

But I have a strong conviction in my belief

Abuse and name calling does not work anymore sir

Nigeria is moving from IPOB corruption sir

Bigprozzie:


Thank you sir

But I have a strong conviction in my belief

Abuse and name calling does not work anymore sir

Nigeria is moving from IPOB corruption sir

lol.. I didnt call you names... Alright wen are we moving away from yoloba and hausa corruption? ?

Why waste 5 months to present a budget riddled with mistakes? This present government is so confused, slow and disoriented. 9 months in and still no feasible projects or achievements.

I dare anyone to criticise and see himself at DSS dungeon for undermining our dulllard govt

this is taking responsibility. I hope no one will come to condemn this move.

Kk

The Freedom of Information Law is the real reason we all have access to the details of the budget.

Bigprozzie:
This is a listening government

A performing government

They have acknowledged that their policies are not perfect and fully open to criticism and change

While the majority of Nigerians are in support of the anti corruption stance of the government, the remaining 5% are adopting any corrupt politician as their beloved child

Suddenly, Fayose, Sambo, Dasuki, FFK have become red cap chiefs because of their corrupt exploits

God bless Buhari and his government. We will shout at you when we notice errors and we expect you to correct them

Nigerians will never allow the IPOBian theory of stealing is not corruption again

Iro! Dem for no allow criticism ni. Have u ever seen any administration that's not criticised? So why dragging ipob like they are the one criticising, watch channel tv sometime and leave nairaland where lies are generated.