By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Federal Government has set a deadline of Sunday, September 5 for all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to submit their budget plans for 2022.
The directive is detailed in a circular with reference DG/BDT/GEN CORR/2016/IV/2225 published by the Budget Office of Federation( BOF) and personally signed by the Director-General, Mr. Ben Akabueze.
The circular was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President; Office of the Vice President; Ministers/Ministers of State; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Chairmen of Commissions; and Permanent Secretaries.
Others are Service Chiefs/Inspector-General of Police; Auditor General for the Federation; Accountant General of the Federation; Heads of Extra Ministerial Departments/Directors-General; Chief Executive Officers of Parastatals and Agencies.
It reads in part, “Please refer to the 2022 Budget Call Circular Par. 7 which explicitly required GOEs (Government Owned Enterprises) and MDAs to make their 2022 Budget proposal submissions online using the BIMMS/GIFMIS-Budget Preparation Subsystem BPS) not later than Friday 27™️ August 8nd 3rd September 2021 respectively.
“The Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning has committed to Mr. President submitting the 2022 Budget Proposal to the National Assembly this September 2021, in full compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.
“Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs are hereby advised to fully comply with the final submission date of Friday 3rd September 2021.
“The GIFMS -BPS Platform wall be closed to MDAs for Budget upload by midnight Sunday 5 September 2021,
MDAs are particularly reminded that their budget submissions must include the Revenue Sources and not just expenditures.
“For the avoidance of doubt, every single MDA is required to populate the Revenue Section on the GIFMIS BPS except for self-funded agencies that are only required to upload the budget on the BIMMS.”
The federal government had last week barred its Ministries, Department and Agencies from introducing fresh capital projects in 2022 fiscal period.
In allocating capital budget resources, the government urged MDAs to accord priority to ongoing projects, especially those nearing completion that fits into the government’s current priorities.
The MDAs may not be allowed to initiate new projects/programmes unless they can demonstrate that adequate provisions have been made for ongoing projects.
In addition to alignment with the objectives of the Medium-Term National Development Plan, the government stated that projects with likelihood of completion not later than 2024, should be considered in prioritizing capital projects
