The Deputy Apex leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, Sir Jude Idimogu, says with President Bola Tinubu as the driver of the 2024 Budget, Nigerians have nothing to fear on implementation.
Mr Idimogu, a former two-term lawmaker who represented Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
The former lawmaker was reacting to the 2024 Appropriation Bill Tinubu presented to the National Assembly on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to Mr Idimogu, Nigerians should relax and remain hopeful because Tinubu is a financial expert, a businessman turned politician with experience in both fields.
“As termed renew hope budget, I am very optimistic that the climate will change for better with the crop of human resources around the President.
“Presently, we have capable men and women with the number one driver, the President, who is a financial expert, a business mogul turned politician.
“I believe, with the President, we are going to achieve more; even now that Tinubu is making efforts to market Nigeria to foreign nations.
“I am hopeful and I want to tell Nigerians to be hopeful. There is hope in this budget,” Mr Idimogu said.
He said that the results of Tinubu’s efforts across the globe to seek investments in the Nigerian economy would soon yield results.
The former lawmaker, who noted that Tinubu needed support of everyone, said, ‘it is easy to destroy but not easy to rebuild.”
On borrowing, Mr Idimogu, also a financial expert, noted that Tinubu’s 2024 budget had shown reduction in borrowing to N 9.18 trillion, as against about N13 trillion incurred in 2023.
According to him, there cannot be any overnight magic to stop borrowing to finance budget.
“There is nothing wrong in borrowing, as long as we can spend the money wisely,” he said.
Mr Idimogu, however, stressed the need for accountability and transparency, urging the President’s cabinet members to be patriotic in managing the nation’s resources.
Applauding Tinubu’s resolve to block all financial leakages, Mr Idimogu urged the President to put a finishing touch on security to encourage investors.
Recall that the president presented an Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion, tagged: “Budget of Renewed Hope’’ to the National Assembly on Wednesday.
He said at the presentation that government would focus on ensuring value for money, greater transparency, and accountability.
He assured that government would also work more closely with development partners and the private sector for effective budget performance.
Mr Tinubu said also that his administration would implement business and investment-friendly measures for sustainable growth, expecting the economy to grow by a minimum of 3.76 per cent, which is higher than the forecast world average.
The 2024 budget was benchmarked on a conservative oil price of 77.96 dollars per barrel and a daily oil production estimate of 1.78 million barrels.
Mr Tinubu said the benchmark was adopted after a careful review of global oil market trends.
The president added that an exchange rate of N750 to the dollar was also adopted for the 2024 budget.
NAN
