EFFECTS OF BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION ON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT OF STATE OWNED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

The evaluation of budget implementation on goal achievement in Ebonyi State of Nigeria prompted the specific objectives of the research work to include: budgetary control mechanism, late approval of budget, budget variance information and late release of approved budgeted funds. Survey research design was adopted and data were collected using          close-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was structured on a 5-point Likert scale statistical rating method. The total population of the study was 259 while the sample size was 157. Collected data were presented on frequency distribution tables, simple percentages and multiple regression analysis. The data were analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences, version 20, 2023. The study adopted Stakeholders Approach Theory by Edward (1984). The study unveiled that budgetary control mechanism and budget variance information had positive and significant effects while late approval of budget and late release of approved budgeted funds had negative and no significant effects on goal achievement of state owned tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The implications of the study were that budgetary control mechanism and budget variance information do not hinder budget implementation on goal achievement. Late approval of budget and late release of approved budgeted funds hinder budget goal achievement, encourage abandonment of projects and non-quality project perfection. Analysis of budget variance aids management of state institutions to adjust budget proposal in respect to deficit budget and, idle resources from surplus budget on any item(s) of budget are reinvested in achieving other goal congruence of the institutions. The study concluded that early approval of budget and timely release of approved budgeted funds facilitate budget implementation and aid in goal achievement of budget proposals of the institutions. The research therefore recommended that the management of the state institutions’ budget committee and other budget stakeholders should be familiar with the processes of budgeting and budget operation to facilitate planning and preparation of financial year budget void of errors and omissions for enablement of early approval of budget and timely release of approved budgeted funds among other measures capable of harnessing budgeting values in the State.