Rédaction Africa Links 24 with New Dawn
Published on 2024-02-21 00:47:00
The House of Representatives has voted to accept President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s request to authorize the government to use one-twelfth of the 2024 National Budget. This decision was made during a regular session on Tuesday, 20 February 2024. The Chairman of the Joint Committee on Ways, Means and Finance and Development Planning, Rep. Dixion Seboe, announced that the House of Representatives instructed their committee to look into President Boakai’s request.
The purpose of President Boakai’s communication is to keep the operation of the government running pending the passage of the National Budget. Rep. Seboe stated that the joint committee was charged with reviewing the amount requested, ensuring that it reflects realistic funding for government operation within the given time frame. After reviewing the request, the joint committee recommended that the report be passed at US $41,300,000.00 and sent to the Senate for concurrence.
President Boakai had initially written to the House of Representatives on 15 February 2024, requesting authorization to spend the amount of US $41,300,000.00 to cover government operations for the month of February. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the government’s operations to avoid a shutdown, especially since the draft budget for the fiscal year 2024 was being finalized for resubmission.
On 25 January 2024, the House of Representatives unanimously voted to return the National Budget to the Executive. In a communication by Rep. Ellen Attoh-Wreh, it was observed that the budget would need to be aligned with the agenda of the current government. The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning had submitted the Draft National Budget in December 2023 to the 54th Legislature in the tune of US $625.57 million for the fiscal year of 2024, during the rule of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led government.
The decision to authorize the government to use one-twelfth of the 2024 National Budget reflects the ongoing efforts to ensure the continuity of government operations while awaiting the passage of the full National Budget. President Boakai’s request has been carefully reviewed and approved by the House of Representatives, with the recommendation being sent to the Senate for further approval.
This decision underscores the importance of financial management and the government’s commitment to sustaining its operations, especially during times of budgetary transition. The cooperation and collaboration between the different branches of government demonstrate a commitment to effective governance and fiscal responsibility. As the budget for the fiscal year 2024 is being finalized, it is crucial to ensure that the government can continue its operations without interruption, and the approved authorization will enable this continuity.
Read the original article on The Newdawn Liberia
