Members of the Liberian Senate have overwhelmingly passed the Supplementary Budget at US$24.3 million. The senate, during its regular session sitting Tuesday, March 2, at the Capitol Building voted for the passage and its onward submission to the Executive Mansion for signing into law by President George Manneh Weah.
The supplementary budget was earlier submitted at US$10.5 million, but later the amount hit US$24.3 million following an addition of US$13 million intended for the clearance of Liberia Bank for Development and Investment debt owed by the government.
With approval of the senate, a revenue envelop of US$9 million was identified from revenue generating entities as domestic revenue.
US$1.5 million was identified as External Revenue Grant from the United Kingdom and that the US$10.5 million submitted to the Senate by the House of Representatives, US$3.9 million is proposed as appropriation for the Public Sector Investment Programs with emphasis on roads infrastructure, health, education and aviation related projects, while US$0.600 million and US$1.129 million for subsidies and debts, a special committed headed by Bong Senator Prince Moye said in plenary.
That additional proposal was submitted by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in the amount of US$13.8 million be appropriated for the settlement and offset portion of Liberian government debt to LBDI. This amount resulted from Revenue in Transit reconciled by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and LBDI, and that the total budget of US$24.3 million be passed by the Liberian Legislature as the supplemental budget.”
Further, the Conference Committees proposed passage: “An Act to approve the Supplemental Budget for the Fiscal Period Beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2021, providing for the expenditure of the Government of the Republic of Liberia in the tone of US$24.3 million be approved; that upon the passage, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MPDP) provides a schedule of the PSIP to the relevant committees for monitoring and accountability and that upon passage, MPDP provides the total liabilities owes LBDI after the payment of US$13.8 million to serve as a guide to payments.
The executive branch through the Finance and Development Planning Ministry had detailed the expenditures of government for the given fiscal period including; the Roberts International Airport route pavement US$900,000; public schools chair project US$700,000; transformer project for the electrification of Monrovia US$600,000; hospital beds US$500,000; legislative goods and services US$1.4 million; domestic travels US$400,000; vehicle repairs and maintenance US$300,000; and constituency travels US$900,000.
Others are vehicle fuel and lubricants US$400,000; generator fuel US$600,000; printing, binding and publication US$250,000; Telecommunication, internet and ICT supplies, US$250,000; RIA residential lounge US$250,000; public schools renovation $250,000; GOL obligation to the African Union US$1,129,695; Foreign Missions Operations US$370,305 and subsidy compensation US$600,000.
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By Ethel Tweh
