The Federal Government has said that the 2016 budget is now at its final stage.

Budget and National Planning Minister Udoma Udo Udoma stated this Wednesday while addressing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The minister, who said the executive and the legislature had worked very hard to review the details of the budget, added “and it s at its final stage. So, maybe between today and tomorrow, the ‎National Assembly will start the process of transmitting the details to the president.”

Udoma said the council discussed the strategic implementation plan for the budget.

“Our ministry’s presentation was introduced to council for discussion priority economic activities that we need to undertake to ensure that the purpose for which the 2016 budget was made, which is to stimulate the economy, to create jobs for our teeming youths and to extend support to the poor and very vulnerable‎, is realised.

“We presented 34 strategic priority programmes that need to be realised within 2016. Each of these projects programmes have very clear deliverables and targets and indicators which will be measured to ensure that the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) deliver on what we committed to implement,” he said.

He said the 34 specific areas were grouped into four major objectives including policy, governance and security; diversification of the economy; creating support for the poor and the vulnerable: as well as reflecting the economy through investment.

He said: “The paper was well received by council, we got some very positive comments and the 34 priority projects were approved‎ for implementation. The Ministry of Budget and National Planning has been given responsibility to track and report on quarterly basis to the council on the performance of these key prority areas.”