Government presents 2009 financial estimates

Estimates of the revenue and expenditure of the government for the 2009 financial year was yesterday laid before Parliament.

Also laid before the House was the expenditure in advance of appropriation for January to March, 2009.

The expenditure in advance of appropriation (vote on accounts) seeks the approval of Parliament for money to run government machinery for the three months before the approval of the new government's budget.

Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, laid the estimates in the House and it was referred to the Finance Committee for study and report, by Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker.

The House, at its sitting yesterday also approved three loan facilities for a number of projects in the country.

An amount of 115 million dollar loan facility between the government and Bank of Hapoalim of Israel was approved by the House for the implementation of Kwahu, Konongo and Kumawu Water supply projects.

The projects will make water available to an estimated700,000 people from 80 communities in the three towns.

The Member of Parliament for Kumawu, Yaw Baah told the House that the water project would bring a lot of relief to his constituents and likened the water situation at Kumawu to "looking for snails in the desert".

The House also approved a 339 million dollar loan facility between the government and Euroget De-Invest S.A. Egypt to finance the construction and equipping of two regional hospitals and six district hospitals in order to provide quality healthcare for the people of the proposed areas.

The hospitals are the Wa Regional Hospital; Kumasi Regional Hospital; Wenchi District Hospital and Salaga District Hospital in the Northern Region.

The rest are Tepa District Hospital in Ashanti Region; Twifo Praso District Hospital in the Central Region; Adenta Madina Hospital in Greater Accra Region and Konongo Odumase District Hospital also in Ashanti Region.

Parliament had also approved a 49 million dollar loan facility between the government and the Exim Bank of the United States of America for the procurement of additional five tenders for the Ghana National Five Service.