Melaye: Failure to totally implement 2016 budget is a crime

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west federal constituency at the national assembly, says the federal government will be committing a crime if it fails to totally implement the 2016 budget.

Speaking at the floor of the senate on Thursday, Melaye quoted Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, as repeatedly saying the allocation for constituency projects was N60 billion, as against the N100 billion passed by the senate.

“Madam minister, while  you were speaking on two different occasions, you quoted N60 billion constituency projects. The budget passed by this senate, the constituency project is N100 billion,” Melaye said.

“But twice this morning, you said N60 billion constituency project. I want to know if there was an amendment to the budget we passed and why the figure 60.

“I also want to tell us that N100 billion is less one percent of the capital projects in our proposal as passed by this chamber. It is actually 0.3 percent of the entire capital project, so I do not know what would be responsible this very minute figure being tampered with again.

He said by God’s grace, all the projects in Kogi west would be fully prosecuted.

“If it is true that there’s a circular from SGF instructing that constituency project will not be prosecuted, I am please telling us that budget is a law, the under-implementation is a crime, the over-implementation is a crime, the non-implementation is a crime.

“By the grace of God, in the name of God the Father, the Son and  the Holyghost, Kogi west constituency project will be done and must be done.”