FISCAL MANAGEMENT WEAKNESSES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT

For several decades, public sector budgeting in Nigeria has been characterized by persistent challenges such as budget unaccomplishment, disparities, indiscipline, and poor implementation. Since independence in 1960, annual budgets have rarely been executed without controversy, reflecting issues such as delayed budget passage, late release of capital votes, selective implementation, and weak adherence to approved provisions. In Ondo State, poor budgetary performance is evident across the 18 local government areas, as reflected in infrastructural decay, abandoned projects, deplorable road networks, rising unemployment, insecurity, and slow developmental progress. Although budgeting is a fundamental instrument of governance and development planning, it has largely been treated as a routine administrative exercise rather than a performance-driven tool. The absence of performance-oriented budgeting, weak data and accounting systems, and poor fiscal discipline has further undermined effective monitoring, evaluation, and accountability. This study examines the causes of poor budgetary performance in Ondo State and assesses its implications for sustainable development, with a view to promoting improved fiscal discipline and effective budget implementation