Fed Govt Kick-starts 2021 Budgetary Process
The federal government has commenced preparation of its 2021 budget, as the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has received anticipated personnel costs for next year, from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.
This followed the Personnel Cost Budget Call Circular issued in April by the Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, which gave all MDAs a June deadline within which to submit their personnel budgets to the ministry.
The circular was addressed to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President; Minister/Ministers of State; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Head of Service of the Federation; Chairmen of Commissions; Permanent Secretaries; Chiefs of Staff/Inspector General of Police; Auditor-General of the Federation; Accountant-General of the Federation; Heads of Extra- Ministerial Departments/Directors-General/Chief Executive Officers of parastatals and agencies.
The minister said the circular was issued to provide special instructions and guidance to ministers, heads of extra-ministerial departments and ministries accounting officers charged with the responsibility of preparation and submission of personnel budgets of their respective MDAs.
The circular stated: “It is important to commence the process of preparing the 2021 Personnel Cost Budget, she said, adding that it was, “to enable a diligent exercise which will ensure adequate budgetary provisions for MDAs personnel costs, as well as, submission of the 2021 Budget Proposal to the National Assembly by September 2020.”
Ahmed warned, however, that no personnel cost would be made for any FG staff not captured in the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in 2021 and that any unauthorized payment from personnel cost would attract sanctions.
She directed the MDAs to use only salary and allowances structure approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, as applicable to validate the payroll.
The minister also directed that provisions for 2021 promotions should not be captured in the payroll validation by the MDAs as such validations should only affect already approved promotions. According to her, separate provisions for 2021 promotions would be made in the Service-wide-vote.
Similarly, she directed that National Youth Service Corps members allowances should not form part of the personnel costs of MDAs, as general provision for corps members are made centrally in the NYSC budget.
