By Kemi Olatunde

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Ondo State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan has stressed the need for governments to give necessary attention to the challenges of budget implementation process in order to witness desired development in Nigeria.

He spoke while delivering a lecture on “budget implementation: factors and challenges” during a budget tracking and investigation training which was put in place by Daily Trust Foundation in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation in Akure .

According to him, shoddy implementation of budget is responsible for abandoned projects and described political prejudice as hindrance to budget implementation.

In another lecture titled; “State Budget and the Process Involved in Preparing it”, he described budget as the most important fiscal project which government runs with noting that its objectives are based on various variables.

He said that it is capable of shaping economic growth and development.

In his goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju while welcoming participants noted that it is important that they are familiar governments’ budget performance.

She lauded journalists for their objectivity for the Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led government, noting that the palliative measures by the present administration would impact all citizens.

According to her, public servants, students, vulnerable pensioners, traders and farmers to mention a few are considered, stating that government aim to reach residents through each wards in the state.

In his opening remarks, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Daily Trust Foundation, Abuja, Alhaji Bilya Bala explained that the subject-matter of exercise, Budget Tracking and Investigative Public Expenditure is crucial for Nigeria and for the media stating that  the next most important document in a country is the Budget, also called the Appropriation Act apart from the constitution.