Dayokanu- Please learn how to respect your elders and the leader of your land, leave God to be the judge, so please stop insulting your leaders whether they are good or bad.

Why are all questions being directed at beaf  
Since when did he turn Johnny boy's spokesman  

@ Beaf
Well, I'm impressed that you took out time to answer my questions.
However, reading through it, I did feel as though I was listening to GEJ himself or any of his ministers. Wonderful english, no substance. No offence meant.

On the point I raised on ban on rice importation, you apparently did not get the flow of my question. Why should we ban importation when we can't produce enough? Why not encourage our local markets to grow massively first, then things will either naturally fall into place or the govt can justifiably announce a 100% ban on rice/wheat importation. There's going to be a vacuum between when the rice importation is banned and when we become self-sufficient in production of the needed quantity of rice. Like i pointed out earlier, there will be shortage in supply to meet the demand which will lead to a direct increase in price. Need I say more on that? See, everyone loves to buy cheaper locally made foodstuff, but until then, we should be careful not to create an unwanted vacuum.
I understand the US subsidizes agricultural up to the tune of over N100billion annually. I thought it was a lie until my gf told me last week she bought 14eggs for $1 in the States. Therefore, people are really ready to embrace positive changes to the sector, but definitely not at the expense of having something to eat. I'm really hopeful we'll (yes, we, not just GEJ) get this food production right.

We do not need to be a genius to know this, right?


@JayBee: Beaf is apparently comfortable being challenged positively

BEaf

There are well developed programmes for agriculture with special focus on rice and cassava. Nigeria spends about N600bn annually on the importation of wheat; GEJ plans to cut that down by investing in local scientific research that has shown that 40% of the wheat content of bread can be replaced with cassava. With this policy, the staggering sums spent on wheat imports will be diverted into local cassava production, creating an eco-system of demand and supply what several hundred billion annually. Think about what that would do for employment and creative entreprenuership with a lowly crop we spat on only yesterday.

Like I pointed out above, the plan is to replace current imports with local production, jobs and above all, self-belief in local research. There is nothing more important than self-belief to set a nation solidly on the path of development and wealth creation.

wow! thats all good.  I hope Jonathan has same thought so

Please the money for niger delta should be reduced, add it to Education. Inspite all they got since 2009 isnt the money not enuf 

i too have a question for beaf. like you beaf, i'm also a GEJ supporter, but this issue of fuel subsidy is really burning me. As we knw a litre of petrol is 65 naira, and after subsidy removal it wuld must likely be 150 naira. That is a 65 percent increase in cost. How do we deal ( people and government) with the subsequent rise in inflation? For the citizens( cope), and the government (manage) this sudden increase?

if am to add, beaf, the removal of subsidy is good, but this is not the right time to take it out in my own opinion. The government should fix our refineries first and atleast provide 24/ 7 power supply first before removal of subsidy nw. For example as a citizen, single parent you earn 3 million a year, because our public schools are in shambles you spend over 800k a year on a single child( in a private university). You are left with 2.2 million, you provide your own security @ 30k a mnth = 360 a year, you buy fuel @ 150 a litre and you purchase 5 litres a day( becos you dnt get light) u end up spending 275k on petrol a year 4 ur generator and the same on your car 275k a year also, At d end of the day on your 3million a year income( 68 percent has bn spent on, school fees, security, petrol for ur car and generator), can you believe that? So what happns to clothing, feeding, houshld upkeep, health care, etc, At the end of the day you are lost, He shld first fix electricty and the refineries, then he can take his fuel subsidy money, An average naija family makes 160 k a month, and that is how i based my analysis.

Beaf:

The subsidy funds will be administered by a committee outside of the budget. We need to wait for further announcements on the solid capital and welfare projects it will support.

Are you suggesting that there's going to be another supplementary budget soon? And what's taking so long in figuring out how to spend the money? The suffering from the subsidy removal is going to start immediately, yet Nigerians are supposed to wait while the government shuffles its feet?

Its not like anybody has any high expectations for the "solid capital and welfare projects" but the least they could do is act quickly.

EDIT: Also, if the subsidy savings aren't included, how come this budget isn't significantly less than last years which included the subsidy? Its's actually 6% more when it should be at least N1.3trillion less.

Henry120:

if am to add, beaf, the removal of subsidy is good, but this is not the right time to take it out in my own opinion. The government should fix our refineries first and atleast provide 24/ 7 power supply first before removal of subsidy nw. For example as a citizen, single parent you earn 3 million a year, because our public schools are in shambles you spend over 800k a year on a single child( in a private university). You are left with 2.2 million, you provide your own security @ 30k a mnth = 360 a year, you buy fuel @ 150 a litre and you purchase 5 litres a day( becos you dnt get light) u end up spending 275k on petrol a year 4 your generator and the same on your car 275k a year also, At d end of the day on your 3million a year income( 68 percent has bn spent on, school fees, security, petrol for your car and generator), can you believe that? So what happns to clothing, feeding, houshld upkeep, health care, etc, At the end of the day you are lost, He shld first fix electricty and the refineries, then he can take his fuel subsidy money, An average naija family makes 160 k a month, and that is how i based my analysis.

In what universe does the average Nigerian family earn 160k? Do you mean Zimbabwean dollars or what? Are you aware that >50% of us live below the absolute poverty line?

Your uncle must be a senator or something for you to be thinking like this. Maybe you should ask your driver to take out of Asokoro one of these days so you can see how the real Nigerians live.

ok, let's say 80k a month, I based using a 3million naira yearly income, and no i don't stay in abuja nor do i have an uncle who is a senator. Just an assesment.

Henry120:

ok, let's say 80k a month, I based using a 3million naira yearly income, and no i don't stay in abuja nor do i have an uncle who is a senator. Just an assesment.

Try 40k. And only in city dwelling families with 2 breadwinners. In rural areas its even less than that.

Remember that the people in cars are the 1%ers. The average nigerians are the maiguards, hawkers and women trading at the side of the road.

More than half of Nigerians actually live in rural areas. And they are dirt poor.

mcgboye:

Beaf,
How can you have a body who will manage a fund that is almost a third of our budget? For God's sake, this body is not accountable to any Nigerian Why do we have Ministers and special advisers and economic group and council of elders and etc, only to have another body that cannot be questioned by the Nigerian people. It cannot be taken to court since they are not created by an act of law! Com'on, we shouldn't be falling for such cheap gimmick. January 1st is just 18days away, yet we still "need to wait for further announcements on the solid capital and welfare projects it will support". I know it's hard to support the president when he's making it difficult for you to do so, but you'll need to come up with a better explanation or justification for that.

Did anyone read the KPMG Forenssic report on the Internal audit and compliance review of NNPC? And someone pls tell me why nobody has lost his job in that house of corruption

This is my take too and this is why I erroneously believed that so-called savings had already been fused into the 2012 budget. Critics will have a field day with this and I expect them to mention the NDDC effect. It really is very simple to see how this is wrong. As per lack of transparency, this is an effort to distance government from the anger of Nigerians when 'savings' from subsidy are not seen to have secured the infrastructural development promised. Then GEJ will simply sack the head of the 'implementation board' (as done with the NDDC regularly) and replace them with others.

What should happen with a transparent Government working under the principles of full accountability is that savings from subsidy , potentially circa N1.3 trillion going from claims of subsidy for the period from Jan 2011- Oct 2011, must be fused into the budget to become a mainstay of central budgeted spending of Government ASAP. It should not be treated as a supplementary budget or intervention fund since we assume , from now henceforth, this saving will form a consistent part of what Government has to spend every year. It must be assimilated into the budget ASAP. Setting up another board to manage fule subsidy 'savings' , much like the crazy decision for the NNPC to manage our refineries, is a sinister way to facilitate corruption.

If we think about it, with subsidy saving fused into the budget, every Nigerian will be thinking circa N1.3 trillion more to spend. We would , for examples, expect the budgetary allocation for works to go up appreciable to the extent that it will not be acceptable for federal roads to remain in a poor State at the end of next year . With a committee (as if they ever achieved anything in Nigeria) 'managing' the savings, we have the NDDC effect i.e no development of the Niger Delta yet monumental corruption going on. The Government is excused because it is those running the NDDC not performing.

Similarly, the Government gets it convenient excuse for the lack of deliverance of the "infrastructural development" promised if the[size=14pt] "independent" [/size]committee charged with utilising subsidy removal savings deliver zero . It beats me how saving made from subsidy, ostensibly previously paid for from our crude income, can be shipped outside the main budget for use by a committee in what appears to be Government directly abdicating its duty. The saving will be with us from now henceforth and indeed will not really be savings any longer a budget year after subsidy removal so will we have an NDDC-style committee , extraneous and independent to the Governments own infrastructural development efforts, in charge from now henceforth much like how the NDDC has been operational since 2000 yet a monumental failure? I expect more Nigerian experts to comment on this in the next few day.

Many have called him "weak" and "unintelligent" yet he is making the STRONGEST and MOST INTELLIGENT changes Nigeria has ever seen! Pure genius.

For those of you complaining about the security budget, think again. How can we restore investor confidence if we cannot demonstrate (first with our budget) that we can secure the interests of our investors. The security challenge has been the most significant drawback we have had as a nation in recent times. It is only a responsible government that will man up to this challenge. Just take a look at our borders, or at the police on the street and you will find 100 more reasons why the security budget should be the way it is. New challenges call for new strategies. I love this budget!

lol @ 160k per month for an average Nigerian family.

@Gbawe

Don't be fooled, the subsidy money is included. If not, how come this budget is 6% higher than last year's which included the subsidy? If the savings had been taken out, this budget would have been significantly less. I'm not buying it.

The bulk of the money has almost certainly been used to pad this budget. And the capital spending is only 15% higher. If my expectations hadn't already been so low, I'm sure I would have been disappointed.

efisher:

Many have called him "weak" and "unintelligent" yet he is making the STRONGEST and MOST INTELLIGENT changes Nigeria has ever seen! Pure genius.

For those of you complaining about the security budget, think again. How can we restore investor confidence if we cannot demonstrate (first with our budget) that we can secure the interests of our investors. The security challenge has been the most significant drawback we have had as a nation in recent times. It is only a responsible government that will man up to this challenge. Just take a look at our borders, or at the police on the street and you will find 100 more reasons why the security budget should be the way it is. New challenges call for new strategies. I love this budget!

Take it easy. Was this not the same noise that followed last years budget? What exactly is so different about this budget other than voting more funds for certain sectors which should be the case anyway as per benchmarking crude for this budget higher than the last one?

Anyway, maintaining the hideously bloated structure of the "most expensive democracy on Earth, with the announcement "leaner Government not possible", is "pure genius"?  

What is "pure genuis" or "most intelligent change" about the decision to concede our refineries , for 2 years, into the hands of the clearing house of corruption? Would "pure genuis" not be an aggressive effort to ensure , through a mix of arrangements, that our refineries work optimally ASAP and with an eye on increasing Government income appreciable from the sale of refined derivatives of crude?

What is "pure genuis" or radically different with how recurrent expenditure is still so hideously high ? I would call that "more of the same".

At a time it is been revealed daily how grossly corrupt the NNPC is under GEJ's almost two years watch, what signifies "the most intelligent changes" Nigeria has ever seen about that?  

Even the decision to entrust an "independent committee" with the task of utilising the savings from subsidy removal is baffling rather than "intelligent". Committees never deliver and , conveniently, the Government is not held responsible for their failure. With Government still the greatest provider of infrastructure worldwide , how many nations does Nigeria see conceding that very important task to "independent committees"?

There is so much more , and I don't have the energy to explain, GEJ is deliberately not doing that indicates his fans are just  pandering to gradualism , just to support and praise mediocrity. Sorry, but there is nothing "pure genuis" about GEJ's efforts so far. I only see gradualism and a man trying to careful dance around the interest of his "owners of Nigeria" pals.

jay bee:

Why are all questions being directed at beaf  
Since when did he turn Johnny boy's spokesman  

My guy, me sef fear o!

Evil Brain:

@Gbawe

Don't be fooled, t[b]he subsidy money is included. If not, how come this budget is 6% higher than last year's which included the subsidy? If the savings had been taken out, this budget would have been significantly less. I'm not buying it.[/b]

The bulk of the money has almost certainly been used to pad this budget. And the capital spending is only 15% higher. If my expectations hadn't already been so low, I'm sure I would have been disappointed.

My brother, I have made the same observation elsewhere but speak to indulge those who are talking about "independent committee" to utilise subsidy savings. Besides, the argument could always be made that supplementary budgeting account for subsidy since it is not precise because oil demand may fluctuate.  Anyway, I don't want to push the angle too much because I feel we will begin to read , from tomorrow, what financial experts think of the budget.

My grouse is the concessioning of responsibility of infrastructural development to an "independent" committee. It is another baffling decision pandering directly to corruption in my opinion same as handing over our refineries to the NNPC. It is an indication that a soft-landing for Government is being prepared ,with the "committee ruse", for when Nigerians do not see the "massive infrastructural development" promised. The NNPC has been in charge of our refineries for a few months now yet all we get from that rotten place is the foul stench of hideous and wanton corruption !!!

Government is the largest provider of infrastructure Worldwide and , even if the committee argument is to be made meritoriously, it would be under an arrangement where the subsidy removal savings is numerically quantified , even if as an estimate, and specifically fused into the budget to then have its use controlled by a committee on behalf of Government. "Independent" committee , to me, is the sort of dribbling Maradona would be proud of. Entirely senseless and at odd with the concept of Government vis-a-vis transparent usage of a Nations income to develop said nation. Anyway, what do we know? We will be getting the opinions of the experts and "stakeholders" from tomorrow. Let us wait and see what they have to say.

quick notes from budget: As of Oct 2010 food inflation was 9.7% and budget is based on projected inflation rate of 9.5%. So govt expects inflation to remain close to 2010 levels even after the removal of oil subsidy?

This looks like an overly optimistic projection, as removal of subsidy will definitely lead to an increase in transportation, food prices and other consumer goods.

Also, execution of Capital projects outlined in the budget will be impacted by rising inflation

Okojo- Iweala needs to clarify if the impact of oil subsidy removal was factored into the projected inflation rate.

Lets pray they fulfill their promises.

Yacoco:

Lets pray they fulfill their promises.

I dey laugh. Which promises? Abeg, abeg abeg jare.

cyril10:

Dayokanu- mr Retardeen, the only language you know when it comes to the issues of Jonathan. Please learn how to respect your elders and the leader of your land, leave God to be the judge, so please stop insulting your leaders whether they are good or bad.

Was it God that came down to vote in the Retardeen as President?

Was it God that was mass thumb printing 99% of votes we recorded in some states?

Beaf:



To the best of my knowledge, the whole NNPC will soon be gone.

Want to take a bet?
It will take an Arab spring for that to happen.
NNPC is the goose that lays all the corrupt money that keeps the thieving elite going.
It will never be closed. Not while the likes of Allison-Madueke are in Power.
Closing NNPC is like the political elite bankrupting itself.
How do you think future election campaigns will be funded?
guy, perish that thought o.

no matter how u look at it, there is something about pdp that is anti progressive. no matter how good one is, pdp will end up turning you into a disaster and jonathan is no different that is if he is not the worst.
sometimes, i am forced to look back at his days as the bayelsa governor. what were his achievements in the state that brought him up as the most qualified among the govs that is if the condition to be a president is by becoming a gov first.
as long as our foundation is faulty, no one shld be hopeful unless we are ready to crash the building and start all over again.
something great is very very wrong with our system that encourages so much talking without actions.
year in, year out, we read out budgets running into trilons yet our society seems to be heading backward.
it is a shame that even those up there can't see.
how can evil men be the rulers in a land? no let us stop decieving ourselves because pdp and their criminal gangs cannot change this system.

mcgboye:

@ Beaf
Well, I'm impressed that you took out time to answer my questions.
However, reading through it, I did feel as though I was listening to GEJ himself or any of his ministers. Wonderful english, no substance. No offence meant.

On the point I raised on ban on rice importation, you apparently did not get the flow of my question. Why should we ban importation when we can't produce enough? Why not encourage our local markets to grow massively first, then things will either naturally fall into place or the govt can justifiably announce a 100% ban on rice/wheat importation. There's going to be a vacuum between when the rice importation is banned and when we become self-sufficient in production of the needed quantity of rice. Like i pointed out earlier, there will be shortage in supply to meet the demand which will lead to a direct increase in price. Need I say more on that? See, everyone loves to buy cheaper locally made foodstuff, but until then, we should be careful not to create an unwanted vacuum.
I understand the US subsidizes agricultural up to the tune of over N100billion annually. I thought it was a lie until my gf told me last week she bought 14eggs for $1 in the States. Therefore, people are really ready to embrace positive changes to the sector, but definitely not at the expense of having something to eat. I'm really hopeful we'll (yes, we, not just GEJ) get this food production right.

We do not need to be a genius to know this, right?

This vacuum will be comfortably filled up by smugglers who will bring in rice from the neighbouring countries at a price marginally higher than they are doing presently. But the smuggled product will still end up been much cheaper than the local ofada rice measure for measure because current ofada production cannot meet up with local demand. All I see with the wheat and rice embargo are negatives all round. Cost of rice will go up thus further impoverishing the masses and smuggling will become much more lucrative and enticing. The government will be creating a new breed of criminals.

While the idea is a good one, the rush to implement without first ensuring that current indices support the proffered solution will be it's bane. In Nigeria, we always seem to tackle issues from the answer to the question rather than the other way; always putting the cart before the horse. In the long run, there will be a lot of movement and no progress. This year's budget stirs a lot of optimism but an in-depth analysis tells me it is just the same old story. Good luck to us all!!!

1025:

no matter how u look at it, there is something about pdp that is anti progressive. no matter how good one is, pdp will end up turning you into a disaster and jonathan is no different that is if he is not the worst.
sometimes, i am forced to look back at his days as the bayelsa governor. what were his achievements in the state that brought him up as the most qualified among the govs that is if the condition to be a president is by becoming a gov first.
as long as our foundation is faulty, no one shld be hopeful unless we are ready to crash the building and start all over again.
something great is very very wrong with our system that encourages so much talking without actions.
year in, year out, we read out budgets running into trilons yet our society seems to be heading backward.
it is  a shame that even those up there can't see.
how can evil men be the rulers in a land? no let us stop decieving ourselves because pdp and their criminal gangs cannot change this system.

isi gị dị correct,your head dey there.

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@Evil Brain.

My brother see what I mean when I said "Anyway, what do we know? We will be getting the opinions of the experts and "stakeholders" from tomorrow. Let us wait and see what they have to say."
The NLC reacts to the budget below;

http://www.channel801.com/Varieties/the-2012-budget-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen-nlc.html

Press Release
The 2012 Budget: A Disaster Waiting to Happen
A critical perusal of the year 2012 budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday showed clearly that the present government has no intention to lead the country out of the present socio- economic crisis. The budget, which was tagged: Budget of Fiscal Consolidation, Inclusive Growth and Job Creation, is actually an anti-peoples budget designed purely in the service of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and their local lackeys who dictate to the Nigerian government. It is a disaster waiting to happen.

In particular, the exclusion of fuel subsidy in the budget is not only tragic, but a declaration of war on the Nigerian people. Thus, the Nigerian people will have no choice but to confront this challenge.

This further attempt to impoverish workers and the Nigerian poor, is coming at the heels of increased tariff on electricity, the move to massively sack workers in the name of merging parastatals, the attempt to collect more taxes through the return of toll gates, the refusal to adequately fund education, and refusal to pay minimum wage, which is an impeachable offence.

Despite the country’s security challenges, it is curious that the Jonathan government has allocated a massive lion share of the budget to security. In the first instance, the major cause of the increasing wave of insecurity in Nigeria is lack of education and mass unemployment, which are direct consequences of the general collapse of public infrastructure such as public electricity, roads, education, health etc. The security challenges are further compounded by lack of political will and abysmal ineptitude of security agencies.

No one should underestimate the general mass poverty, unemployment and discontent that has increased bottled up anger in our polity. The removal of fuel subsidy will provide the spark for mass protests such that even the increased security vote cannot buy enough arms to contain.

Since the government of Jonathan has elected to punish the Nigerian people through a budget that is poverty inducing and will cause a lot of hardship, the Nigerian people will have no alternative but to resist.

We call on all Nigerian workers and people to begin preparations for a general strike and mass protests. The people must be prepared in the next few weeks when the Jonathan administration begins to implement his anti-Nigerian policy. Nigerians should prepare to occupy the streets and public institutions to prevent them from being taken over by anti-patriotic forces.

The NLC leadership will be meeting on Tuesday December 20, 2011, to firm up strategies and give directive on the commencement of this protest and the resolve of workers and the Nigerian people to reclaim their country back.

We call on the National Assembly to side with the electorate and the Nigerian people by refusing to pass this budget.

We also ask the Jonathan administration to seriously have a rethink by reviewing his budget proposal, or be ready to take on the Nigerian people.


SIGNED
Owei Lakemfa
Ag. General Secretary

Some people dont seem to understand the beauty of education
Education is key to a lot of goodies
Paying enuf attention to it is v necessary
Also some people are always trigger ready to attach whatever comes from the presidency
We should be ready to appreciate nice moves,
Like drop in recurrent expenditure & narrowing of fiscal deficit . We will get there
Eloquence , GEJ is not below average
Security is, as of now, our greatest challenge & padding budget to tackle it is in order
Since he was silent on fuel subsidy we should keep praying he doesnt go back there
I think he deserves a praise for responding to the pulse of the people on fuel subsidy-though grudgingly
Yea, we should avoid double quick match

Drop in recurrent expenditure by just 2% points?

Attack your own analysis first
GEJ has 42 ministers! The constitution requires only 36!

You cannot increase the price of a complement (wheat which will give 60% of the bread) and not expect the price of the end product to rise. That is elementary economics. 60% is higher than 40%

And saying this is pure genius shows we don't remember history. Obasanjo tried the whole cassava bread stuff, at 10%
A baker explained on channels that the bread (with 10% wheat) was not soft and so people did not like it
The baker said he would support bread made with any local content provided people will buy it.
Yet the government has not engaged with bakers to find out how to formulate the bread so that people will like it and buy

Even if you support GEJ, look at the analysis
N900b on security will not inspire confidence
If people are really hungry, some of them will take to crime. Simple
Do we really think that a guy with a good job will easily become a bomber? Maybe a few.
But compare that to somebody who is thinking 24/7 about where the next meal will come from

Another look at the 2012 budget - top 10 items

@ Beta things
Well a drop is a drop
Besides, if you have been following all along you should have known of finance minister`s projection
She said a sudden change in status quo will result in hardship & proposed a gradual shift
I hope you also know of plans to merge some ministries & MDAs, revealed during budget brk down
Its not that the govt is insensitive, she knows where changes are needed & is steering towards remedy
On cassava bread, somebody invented the wheel. So you can take up the challenge on best mix
People will be ready to buy your patent