Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, has said that Nigeria is going through a financial crisis and that the Government is just managing to pay salaries.
The Minister, who made the disclosure at the 30th Annual Development Forum organised by the Live Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) in Abuja yesterday, lamented the slow economic growth rate in the face of a fast-increasing population, surging unemployment and high inflation.
Bagudu, who was represented by the Director, Bi-lateral Economic Cooperation in the Ministry, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, called on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to help the Government to cover the spaces it could not.
The Minister said, “Government faces enormous challenges, especially now; we are facing a revenue deficit. There is no money anywhere in the country; the Government is just managing to pay salaries. Addressing NGOs, he enjoined them to support the Government to craft key performances in those areas.
On her part, a former acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Sarah Aladeurged the Federal Government to collaborate with the non-State actors to achieve economic development and ensure the success of its social investment programmes.
At the forum, titled: “The Role of Non-state Actors in National Development: A case study of LAPO“, Alade said the involvement of non-State actors like LAPO in the Federal Government projects was necessary.
