By Binta Jaiteh
Alagie S Darboe, member for Brikama North and Minority Leader has proposed several cuts in the budgetary allocations to the various government institutions as he presented a report on 2024 estimates of Revenue and Expenditure.
He came up with the proposal during the presentation of consolidated report of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) on the committees’ consideration of the 2024 estimates of revenue and expenditure
Darboe who is also the chairperson of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee proposed a reduction of fifteen million eight hundred thousand dalasi (15,800,000) from the allocationof the National Assembly. The Committee also recommended reallocations to priority budget lines as indicated. Similarly, the committee made a cut in allocations to the President’s office as well as that of the office of the Vice President.
Also, on the part of the Judiciary, members recommend a total reduction of D74,300,000 from the Judiciary’s submission while reallocations to priority budget lines.
Furthermore, for the allocation of Independent Electoral Commission, a total reduction of D48,582,500 was made from the IEC’s budget allocations.
For the National Audit Office, the committee recommended a total reduction of D36,583,000 from the NAO’s submission.
“Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs also a total reduction of D58, 154,000 from the Ministry’s budget. The Committee recommends reallocations to priority budget lines as indicated on the attached addendum.’’
Chairperson Darboe added that, at the office of the Ombudsman, FPAC Committee recommends a total reduction of D1,470,000from the Ombudsman’s budget. He stressed that, the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative Reforms and Policy Coordination also, there was no savings under the Ministry’s budget. However, the Committee recommends reallocations to priority budget line as indicated on the attached addendum.
He lamented that, the Ministry of Finance during its tabling of the estimates before FPAC indicated errors from the submission made to the National Assembly on some budget entities and implored on FPAC to take note of the revised submission.