Wale raises ‘pros & cons’ of Govt policies.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

OPPOSITION Leader, Matthew Wale has raised the pros and the cons of the Government’s policies.

Speaking in response to the Speech of the Throne in Parliament on Wednesday, Wale said there are some positives about government’s overall policy disposition.

“Firstly, one can see there is a waking up to the need to have fewer priorities.

“Secondly, there is recognition that adequate funding is a necessity to ensure priorities have any realistic hope of being achieved,” he said.

Wale said thirdly, government is more sensitive to its own capacity to execute and therefore the need to review its delivery mechanisms and to seek strategic partnerships with non-state actors.

“As I said these are positives and must be encouraged.

“However, there is much room for improvement in all these positives,” he said.

Wale said the priorities would seem to him still too many in the current difficult economic situation, given the squeeze on government revenues.

He said the result is that although there is better clarity on government priorities, the funding levels are still inadequate for purpose.

“I grant that there have been increases in budget allocations to government priorities, compared to previous years,” he said.

“But in this matter, it is not a comparison to prior years that is important,” he said.

Wale said the two factors critical to delivery of the policy objectives are whether there is adequate funding and capacity to execute.

“A look at the 2021 budget reveals a sharing out of the cake, not a strategic outlook.

“This was my main critique of government policy as contained in the 2021 budget, and it is still relevant to this debate.

“Fewer priorities will achieve clearer focus,” he said.

Wale said fewer priorities enable adequate funding to be allocated which would lead to better delivery and execution.

“And the delivery/execution objective requires government to seek the most efficient, effective and economically catalytic partnerships,” he said.

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