Senate approves budget

The Liberian Senate has concurred with the House of Representatives in passing the National Budget for FY 2016/ 2017, totaling US$600,203,674.00 or an equivalent of LRD57, 319,450,867.00. Senate President Pro-Tempore ArmahJallah said the Senate received engrossed Bill 48 entitled “An act to approve the National Budget for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2016 and ending June 30, 2017 providing for the expenditure of the Government of the Republic Liberia” in the amount of &US 600,203,674 (Six hundred two hundred three thousand six hundred seventy-four million).

He said after tedious deliberations by the Senate in its Extraordinary Session, it concurs with the Lower House for the passage of the Act. This followed four months’ delay due to leadership struggle in the House of Representatives. The House Tuesday this week unanimously passed the draft national budget for fiscal year 2016/2017 in the tune of over 57.3bn Liberian Dollars, an equivalent of more than US$6.2m.

Citing the urgency of the instrument in Plenary, the presiding officer at the Lower House, Deputy Speaker Hans Barchue ordered the clerical staff to communicate its decision to the Senate.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Jallah said they are confident that the passage of budget will enable the Government to carry out the development projects of the people, while commending members of the Lower House and the Senate for their hard work jointly to have this very important Act processed and approved.

Also speaking, the Chairperson on Ways, Means, and Finance, Sen. Edward Dagoseh of Grand Cape Mount County said in this year’s National Budget, Public Administration receives the highest amount of money.

He said there is no extra money for employees at the Capitol Building because in the law when the Executive calls for extra sitting, it pays but this time around, it is the Legislators themselves, who called for the extra sitting, so there is no salary for anybody there. Editing by Jonathan Browne

By Bridgett Milton