By: Kebba AF Touray
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) has deducted seventy-seven million, nine hundred and fifty thousand dalasi (D77,950,000) from the 2022 budget estimate, tabled before lawmakers on Monday 18th October 2021, by Finance Minister Mambury Njie.
The said deduction was unveiled on Saturday 23rd October 2021, by the Vice Chairperson of the FPAC, Alhagie Mbowe, while laying the committee’s report on the findings of the various committees on the budgets of the institutions within their remits.
Mbowe informed the assembly that the said deductions were made from the budget lines of Judiciary, National Audit Office, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice and Fisheries and Water Resources, following their meeting with officials from the said institutions.
“D36 million was deducted from Judiciary, D20 million deducted from National Audit Office, D20 million deducted from Ministry of Finance, D1,250,000 deducted from the Ministry of Justice and D700,000 deducted from Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources respectively,” he explained.
Laying the FPAC’s consolidated report, Mbowe told his colleagues that the committee recommends the creation of a budget line for disability fund, Children’s fund and domestic violence to comply with the relevant laws.
“The committee recommends for the Ministry of Finance to allocate D7 million for the construction of a new complex for the geological department as agreed with the ministry,” Mbowe added.
The lawmaker reminded the assembly that standing orders 81(1), 84(1) and (2), mandates the committees of the national assembly to scrutinize and make recommendations on the estimates of revenue and expenditure, and that the findings of the committees should be submitted to the finance and public accounts committee. He said this is aimed at ensuring the FPAC lays a consolidated report together with a motion for debate on the consolidated report.
Mbowe further said it is against this backdrop that the FPAC engaged relevant institutions under its purview to scrutinize their respective estimates of revenue and expenditure for the 2022 fiscal year.
“In the same vein, other standing and select committees also engaged ministries, departments and agencies dubbed MDAs within their remit and submitted findings and recommendations which form part of this consolidated report,” he said.
