By Kebba AF Touray
Minister Keita Hon. Darboe
The Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA), Seedy Keita, today tabled the 2025 draft budget of about D52.9 Billion, for parliamentary approval.
Parliamentarians approved a total expenditure of D42 Billion for the 2024 fiscal year and D21 Billion was actually spent in 2023.
As from today, Friday, Parliamentarians are to immediately attend a Pre-Budget Retreat concluding on 18th November.
After the pre-budget retreat, parliamentary Committees will conduct Budget Bilaterals with portfolio Ministries and other stakeholders from 19th to 23rd November.
Government plans to raise D29 Billion this year with D21 Billion set to come from Taxes while D7.9 Billion is expected to come from Non-Tax sources.
It is also expected to receive over D15 Billion in Budget Support for projects and programmes it plans to implement in 2025.
Hon. Alhagie S Darboe, the Minority Leader, Moved a Motion to Block Tabling of 2025 Draft Budget, questioning the Finance Minister’s failure to submit the 2025 Draft Budget in accordance with the 1997 Constitution.
Hon Darboe’s motion was met with a counter motion by the Deputy Speaker Hon Seedy SK Njie, and set to be decided by the ruling of the Speaker on the matter.
As per the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia and the Public Finance Act of The Gambia, as amended, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs must lay the budget estimates for the upcoming fiscal year at least 60 days before the end of the fiscal year.
The National Assembly must then consider and approve the estimates within 30 days of them being laid before it.
This automatically connotes that the laying of 2025 on the 15th of November 2024, fell short of the said amended version of the Constitution, as from 15th November to 31st December 2024 is less than 60 days.
15th November to 31st December totals a period of 46 days, as opposed to the 60 days constitutional requirement.
The Finance Minister, in his explanation, said that they were working on the salary increment and discussing with donors, to be able to incorporate them in the draft budget for 2025.
After hours of intensive internal discussions of the Assembly within closed doors, the Speaker ruled for the Minister to apologise for the delay in laying the draft budget.
The Finance Minister complied and apologised, after which the sitting proceeded for the Minister to lay the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the 2025 fiscal year for the Republic pf the Gambia.
