Budget Estimates For Some MDA's Approved

Parliament yesterday approved the budget estimates for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Electoral Commission (EC), the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for the 2009 fiscal  year.

The approved budget estimates are GH¢ 146,681,167.00 for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, GH¢ 7,091,990 for the EC, GH¢ 4,206,832.00 for the CHRAJ and GH¢5, 044,605 for the NCCE.

Supporting the motion moved by the Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffour, for the approval of the budget estimates for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, MP for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, who was also a former Minister at the Ministry expressed appreciation for the re-designation of the Ministry's original name.

He advised the Minister to take a second look at some of the programme aimed at streamlining public finance and be decisive on what to be done and touched on the pay roll system.

Seconding the motion for the approval of the budget estimates for the EC, Minority Leader, and MP for Suame, Hon Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, said, some programmes and funds allocated to the EC are inappropriate.

Touching on some challenges faced by the Commission during the 2008 elections, MP for Wenchi, Prof George Y. Gyan-Baffour, called on the Commission to educate the electorates on the electoral process.

However, the budget estimates for the Ministry of Youth and Sports was deferred due to some inconsistencies and reports of the estimates containing the budget estimates for five state
institutions were laid.

The House is expected to continue the approval of the budget estimates for various MDA's before rising on the 27th of this month.