BUHARI APPOINTS NEW DG OF BUDGET OFFICE TO REPLACE TIJANI

Sun news reports:

President Buhari Demotes Tijani Mohammed Abdullahi, DG Budget Office

President Muhammadu Buhari has demoted Tijani Mohammed Abdullahi as Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation.

He will now serve as Special Adviser to the President on Planning and will continue to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement said the President replaced him with Ben Akabueze, who until the announcement was Special Adviser on Planning.

Both Akabueze and Abdullahi joined the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in February, this year.
Their redeployment is part of an ongoing exercise aimed at further repositioning the ministry to effectively deliver on its core mandate.

The change, observers said, might not be unconnected with the alleged padding that dogged the 2016 budget proposal.

Buhari had on May signed the 2016 budget, bringing an end to the protracted controversy surrounding the budget.

The 2016 budget estimates suffered several delays after claims and counter claims from both the legislature and the executive, each accusing the other of padding the budget.

The National Assembly in April transmitted details of the budget to the President after it passed the bill on March 23, but the President refused to sign, citing omission of certain critical capital projects, notably the Calabar-Lagos rail line, by the Senate and House Committees on Appropriation, led by Senator Danjuma Goje and Abdulmumin Jibrin respectively.

The stand-off forced the National Assembly to withdraw and incorporate the projects.

There were also meetings with the leadership of the National Assembly after which a committee was formed to look at “grey areas” in the budget and harmonise them in time for the President’s assent.

Buhari appoints Ben Akabueze new DG Budget Office

The Special Adviser to the President on Budget Matters and former Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze has been appointed the new Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, swapping position with Alhaji Tijani Abdullahi, who was also named the new Special Adviser to the President on Planning.

No reason was given for the latest development, but a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointments.

The statement, however said, Abdullah would continue to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning.

Both Akabueze and Abdullahi joined the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in February this year.
Their redeployment is part of an ongoing exercise aimed at further repositioning the Ministry to effectively deliver on its core mandate, the statement said.

Africanspotlight.

Biography of new dg

Ben Akabueze hailed from Dunukofia Local Government Area in Anambra State, but only lived for two years in Anambra State and the rest in Lagos. He is the Pastor-in-charge of RCCG Lagos Province 39 and Pastor of the King’s Court Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Early life and career

A distinguished banker, accountant, economist and administrator, he holds a first class B.Sc degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos and an Advanced Management Programme Certificate from the Lagos Business School. A fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administrators (FICA), he has over 25 years experience in Accounting, Consultng and Banking.

He started his career in auditing and consulting at Price Waterhouse and then switched over to banking, starting with Nigerian International Bank and City Bank.

He rose to the apex of the profession as Managing Director/Chief Executive of NAL Bank Pk (2000-2005). and Executive Director – Sterling Bank Plc from January to August 2006.

He worked with three other banks and ended up as the Managing Director/CEO of NAL Bank Plc from year 2000 to 2005. During the consolidation period, he joined Sterling Bank as Executive Director from the beginning of 2007 to August when he left for private consulting practice, and in January 2007, he was invited to join the Cabinet of the Lagos State Government.

He has served as Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget since January 2007 having first been appointed by Governor Tinubu and then re-appointed for two terms now by Governor Fashola.

Pastoral Career

Mr. Akabueze has been a pastor since August 1994 till date.

Experiences
· Special Adviser to the President (National Planning)

Federal Government of Nigeria

February 2016

– Present (5 months)

· HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

January 2007

– May 2015 (8 years 5 months)

· Managing Director/CEO

NAL Bank Plc

2000

– 2005 (5 years)

· Managing Director/CEO

NAL Bank Plc

2000 – 2005 (5 years)

http://bioreports.net/ben-akabueze-biography-new-dg-budget-office/