PRESIDENT BUHARI REMOVES 22 OFFICIALS IN BUDGET OFFICE RESHUFFLE

Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the redeployment of 22 senior officials in Nigeria’s budget office following a months-long fiasco that has delayed the passing of the country’s fiscal plan. The Nigerian president announced a record budget in December 2015, laying out ambitious plans to increase capital expenditure by 20 percent to 6.1 trillion naira ($30.6 billion). Copies of the budget were delivered in January to both houses of the Nigerian National Assembly for discussion, but deliberations were delayed after copies went missing from the Nigerian Senate. When the budget was eventually assessed, huge irregularities were discovered, such as 5 million naira ($25,000) allocated for the office of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to spend on books and 795 million naira ($4 million) set aside to update the website of one unnamed ministry. The reshuffle comes just over a month after Buhari sacked Yahaya Gusau, the former director general of Nigeria’s budget office, without explanation. Nigerian authorities said the redeployment is part of a shake-up of almost 200 staff in various government ministries and the civil service. The 22 senior budget staff included four directors, six deputy directors and 12 assistant directors, who were told to report to their new postings on Friday. Fourteen officials have reportedly been assigned to replace the outgoing staff.