Following the controversies surrounding the 2016 budget presented to the National Assembly, Pres. Buhari today approved the sack of the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Yahaya Gusau and announced Tijjani Mohammed Abdullahi as his replacement.
Gusau was appointed by Buhari in August 2015 and was expected to be in office for a period of four years.
A statement by Femi Adesina, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, states that the new DG of Budget office, Tijjani Abdullahi, is a fellow of the Certified National Accountants of Nigeria, and a banker of repute with experience in managing public finance.
The new Director-General (Budget) is expected to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning to efficiently deliver on the mandates of the Budget Office of the Federation. President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Ben Ifeanyi Akabueze as the Special Adviser on Planning to the Minister of Budget and National Planning. Akabueze who is the immediate past Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, has worked in senior management positions in Citi Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa, NAL Merchant Bank, Sterling Bank and BIA Consulting Limited, among others. He is Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers; Fellow, Institute of Credit Administrators and Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers.