The new minister of state for finance, Dr, Yerima Lawan Ngama, has identified budget preparation as a major challenge in the ministry.
This is as he called on staff of the ministry to adopt measures that would fast-track preparation of the annual budget.
Ngama while assuming office yesterday in Abuja, said economic transformation was the key word of the present administration,adding that the ministry was set to be the center of the transformation process .
The minister said he would bring the experience he garnered in the private sector in delivering on the mandate.
He said the ministry has the challenge of aligning the budget in such a manner that the whole process would be fast-tracked in order to abolish the old system of working at a slow pace.
He stated that the whole nation was looking up to the ministry to produce the blueprint on economic transformation, which would be implemented by other ministries.
“We have a great challenge, we have to align our budget, as a former banker, before we prepare our budget, the actual account have to be ready, whether audited or not audited, actual has to come before the budget, and I believe this has been a challenge. So we have to really put our heads together to make sure that whatever we are doing, information actually comes as frequently as we will like them to come.”
On the vision 20:2020 economic agenda, he said: “In the vision 20:2020, measurement is the key, we have to get that ready for the government to appraise other ministries, we are going to have a tough schedule ahead of us because whatever you are saying is grammar, computer cannot solve your problem, but human beings have to rise to the challenge, so we will work together.”
While calling on staff support, he assured them that his joy would be to make the ministry an exciting place to work.
“Working in the public service is something else, those of us from the private sector will bring our own experience, but you know your procedures are a little bit longer than our own, so you have to advise me. I’ve already known the staff to be professionals, and I would like to work with professionals.”