Parliament approves GH ¢7 trillion for govt

Page 13, Dec 20, 2007
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday authorised the executive to draw GH¢7,107,163,135 from the Consolidated Fund to enable the government to effectively carry out its services for the 2008 financial year.
The authorisation followed the passage of the Appropriation Bill, 2007, which was laid before the House on Monday.
The report of the Finance Committee of Parliament on the bill observed that ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) would be permitted to retain and use GH¢299,184,000 of their internally-generated funds during the 2008 financial year.
In addition, the bill includes GH ¢127,551,722 million of HIPC financed expenditure to be undertaken within 2008.
Out of the GH ¢7,107,163,135 trillion projected payments in 2008, GH ¢1,728,925,012 would constitute payments while discretionary payments would also amount to GH¢5,378,238,123.
The report said that GH ¢15,940,000 from the HIPC funds would be granted to district assemblies to undertake various development projects.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, moved the motion for the passage of the bill and was seconded by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Nii Adu Daku Mante.
Meanwhile, the House on Tuesday ratified a credit facility agreement between the government and Agence Francaise de Development for £17 million to finance the peri-urban, rural and Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation project in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The project is to improve the health status of the population in the Brong Ahafo Region by increasing their accessibility to potable water and sanitation in all the 19 districts of the region in economically sustainable conditions.
The beneficiary communities would be expected to provide five per cent cost of the project, but communities which would not be able to pay the five per cent would be assisted by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
The Brong Ahafo Region was chosen because it is one of the regions with least water coverage and the completion of the project would, therefore, lift up the region’s water coverage and reduce the incidence of guinea worm infestations and other water-borne diseases.
The House also approved a £7.2 million between the government and the German government to finance the Poverty Focused Rural Transport Programme.
The programme is to enhance accessibility to selected poor areas and reduce the cost of transportation in those areas.
In another development, Parliament approved GH ¢20,703,627 for the services of the Office of Parliament for the 2008 fiscal year.
Members of Parliament (MPs) who contributed to the debate on the approval of the budget for Parliament expressed their disatisfaction about lack of resources for the efficient running of the legislature.
The Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin said although the House had performed well over the years, MPs in Ghana were poorly paid as compared to their counterparts in Africa.
The Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, said Parliament would no longer compromise on what it was due, adding that “we need to be treated like the Judiciary”.
The report of the Special Budget Committee, which deliberated on the budget of the Office of Parliament, urged the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to fulfil his pledge to add GH ¢8,023,372 to the approved amount to enable Parliament to carry out its intended programmes next year.