This is the first time since 2015 that an administration will fail to publish this report, going by available data from the budget office of the federation, which suggests that the government had been carrying out its expenditure in secrecy.
Since it came on board in May 2023, the President Bola Tinubu's administration has failed to publish budget performance reports for the information of Nigerians, as mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, SaharaReporters can report.
This is the first time since 2015 that an administration will fail to publish this report, going by available data from the budget office of the federation, which suggests that the government had been carrying out its expenditure in secrecy.
Budget performance reports are aimed at showing how the government is spending money and on what it is spending public funds on.
Each quarter is three months, simply meaning that the federal government is expected to publish its expenditure and revenue generation every month.
These documents are usually accessible on the budget office website and are normally published on a periodic basis of every three months.
Data checks show that in 2015, three quarters budget performance reports were published, the administration also published the fourth quarter budget performance of the three quarters published.
In 2016, all four quarters reports were published, same as 2017, 2018 and 2019.
In 2020, three quarters budget performance reports were published. Four quarters were published in 2021 and 2022.
As of 2023, two quarters were published before expenses between January and June.
However since the emergence of Tinubu, no budget performance report has been published per data on the budget office of the federation website.
In years before 2015, Budget performance documents publication have also been a norm.
In 2009, all four quarters budget performance documents were published. In 2010, only one quarter was published, in 2011 four quarters were published, 2012 four quarters, 2013 saw three quarters published, while 2014 witnessed two quarters budget performance documents publication.
The budget performance reports have been useful for demanding accountability on different fronts by different stakeholders of the country.
It also shows the fiscal balance and position of the federal government, helping citizens to ask questions on management of their funds.
The refusal of the Tinubu led administration to publish budget performance reports is also a violation of the country’s fiscal responsibility act.
Section 30 (2) , of the act mandates the ministry of finance to publish in the mass and electronic medium and on the Ministry of Finance website budget performance report not later than thirty days after the end of each quarter.
Already, there are challenges of corruption and poor management of public resource in Nigeria.
Follow the Sahara Reporters channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaFClvtH5JM6SSsP7M2Y