28 April 2016, Abuja — The World Bank Wednesday pledged to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s efforts towards a healthy and transparent budget.
Addressing State House reporters after meeting with Buhari, World Bank Managing Director Ms. Sri Mulyani Indrawati said a transparent budget would help in tackling poverty and creating inclusive growth.
“We would like to support all these objectives in order for Nigeria to have a healthy, stronger and transparent budget which can be very useful and effective in addressing the issue of poverty and creating a healthier and inclusive growth,” she said.
She said her team discussed with the Nigerian government, the need to diversify the economy and improve revenue side through improved tax collection as well as the fight against inefficiency and corruption.
She said the need for Nigeria to have a wider economic agenda was stressed, adding that “We discussed the agricultural sector, infrastructure; but also the need to pursue and continue doing a very difficult reform. This is a time which Nigeria is now facing. It is not easy, there are a lot of policy choices that need to be done.”
She said the bank would like to know how to help Nigeria make very important decisions, “whether on micro-economic policy or other sectoral policy”, to move the economy forward and make Nigeria become a strong middle-income nation with a much more inclusive growth, job creation, and poverty eradication.
*Isiaka Wakili – Daily Trust
