Abuja- Former Minister, National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, has advised the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to update the list of abandoned projects in the country.
This is contained in a statement signed by Salisu Badamasi, Assistant Director, Press in the ministry and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
Badamasi said Usman gave the advice as a panellist at the ongoing 15th meeting of the Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning in Kano.
Usman said that the update would ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of abandoned projects in the country.
The former minister said that there was a comprehensive list of abandoned projects in the custody of the ministry which he was able to compile during his tenure.
Usman advocated that ministry be renamed Ministry of National Planning and Budget in line with global standard.
“Appropriate budgetary allocation is achieved only after a well-designed and articulated plan is on ground and so in any case, budget is derived from planning.’’
Usman commended the Buhari-led administration for merging the Budget Office with the National Planning Commission.
He expressed optimism that the decision would ensure that budgets were developed based on national planning.
“It would ensure appropriate judicious allocation of resources, based on approved plan.”