The problematic of budget implementation in Nigeria: A study of Delta State Government

This study examines the problematic of budget implementation in Nigeria using Delta State as a case study. The design of the study was descriptive survey. The population of the study comprised of 2383 senior staff in the Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Ministry of Economic Planning, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Finance. The sample of the study consisted of 350 senior staff drawn from level 10-16 using stratified and simple random techniques. The instruments used for data collection was budget implementation questionnaire. The data were analyzed using mean rating and chi-square. The findings of the study revealed that there is significant relationship between politics of accommodation, poor commitment, compromised budget monitoring, culture of corruption and budget implementation in Delta State. The study also recommended among others that approved budgets should be religiously implemented without considering or accommodating the personal or selfish interests of different stakeholders in the political system, there should be genuine and high-level commitment to the execution of budgets after their approval so that such budgetary allocations and provisions can translate into concrete development in all the envisaged sectors, and there should be an efficient and effective monitoring of approved budgetary projects as well as zero tolerance for corruption.