Ministers to begin work on 2020 budget

The ministers are to commence work on the 2020 budget proposal and get it ready before the National Assembly returns from recess.

They are also expected to sign key performance indicators (KPI) forms and return them to the office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) within two weeks.

SGF, Boss Mustapha, announced this before the ministers were assigned their portfolios.

In June, the federal government had commenced the process for the preparation of the 2020 budget, with a directive to ministries, departments and agencies to avoid inflating their personnel budget.

The immediate past Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma, had in the 2020 personnel budget call circular he issued and personally signed warned chief executives of all agencies of government against the introduction of ‘ghost workers’ in the payroll, adding that the act would not be condoned.

The circular, with reference BD/2000/EXP/S.651, was dated May 24, 2019.

It was sent to the Chief of Staff to the President, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, all ministers, the SGF, all service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.

Others that got the circular were the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, all chairmen of commissions, all permanent secretaries/heads of extra-ministerial departments and the Auditor-General of the Federation