Heads rolled on Monday over the muddling of the 2016 Federal Budget, which has exposed the Muhammadu Buhari administration to local and international ridicule. The budget, riddled with embarrassing errors, has run into a hitch at the National Assembly.
In reaction, President Buhari has wielded the big stick, shaking up the Budget Office. The biggest casualty was Director-General (Budget), Mr. Yahaya Gusau, who was sacked and replaced with Mr. Tijjani Mohammed Abdullahi.
A Presidency statement described Mr. Abdullahi, a fellow of the Certified National Accountants of Nigeria, as “a banker of repute with experience in managing public finance. It said that he “is expected to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning to efficiently deliver on the mandates of the Budget Office of the Federation.”
The statement, signed by Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) Femi Adesina,
Disclosed that Buhari has also approved the appointment of Mr. Ben Ifeanyi Akabueze as the Special Adviser to the President on National Planning.
News Express learnt that Mr. Akabueze, the immediate past Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, will be working with the Minister of Budget and national Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, but would be reporting to President Buhari.
Mr. Akabueze has worked in senior management positions in Citi Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa, NAL Merchant Bank, Sterling Bank and BIA Consulting Limited, among others.
He is Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers; Fellow, Institute of Credit Administrators and Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers.