MPs asked to approve sh104b more
Jun 25, 2008
THE Government is seeking approval of a sh104.535b supplementary budget for the financial year 2007/08. However, chairpersons of the parliamentary committees were on Tuesday surprised to learn that the money was already spent by ministries on various activities.
By Paul Kiwuuwa
and Mary Karugaba
THE Government is seeking approval of a sh104.535b supplementary budget for the financial year 2007/08. However, chairpersons of the parliamentary committees were on Tuesday surprised to learn that the money was already spent by ministries on various activities.
Scrutinising the funds, the budget committee chairman, William Okecho, said although the money was already spent, “Parliament has to approve the budget because we (MPs) have to fulfil a legal requirement to close the financial year.â€
But NRM MPs Gerald Menhya (presidential affairs), Matthias Kasamba (defence) and Rose Sseninde (social services) demanded to know why Parliament was being used as a rubber-stamp.
“Isn’t this making Parliament a rubber-stamp? The Government should have brought the supplementary budget before spending it,†Menhya said.
According to the budget, the wage recurrent expenditure attracted the highest proportion of sh43b.
This was mainly due to shortfalls in salaries and allowances for teachers and the Police.
The committee also queried sh36b that was spent on shortfalls for instructional materials for Universal Secondary Education schools and Kyambogo University, missions abroad and the newly-appointed judges.
The committee heard that a total of sh25b was spent on the procurement of upland rice seeds and the management of the post-emergency recovery phase activities for the northern, eastern and western regions.
Okecho suggested that ministers be summoned to explain how the funds were utilised.
The committee also resolved to summon the finance minister, Dr. Ezra Suruma to explain the source of the funds that were allocated to the ministries yet it was not budgeted for.
and Mary Karugaba
THE Government is seeking approval of a sh104.535b supplementary budget for the financial year 2007/08. However, chairpersons of the parliamentary committees were on Tuesday surprised to learn that the money was already spent by ministries on various activities.
Scrutinising the funds, the budget committee chairman, William Okecho, said although the money was already spent, “Parliament has to approve the budget because we (MPs) have to fulfil a legal requirement to close the financial year.â€
But NRM MPs Gerald Menhya (presidential affairs), Matthias Kasamba (defence) and Rose Sseninde (social services) demanded to know why Parliament was being used as a rubber-stamp.
“Isn’t this making Parliament a rubber-stamp? The Government should have brought the supplementary budget before spending it,†Menhya said.
According to the budget, the wage recurrent expenditure attracted the highest proportion of sh43b.
This was mainly due to shortfalls in salaries and allowances for teachers and the Police.
The committee also queried sh36b that was spent on shortfalls for instructional materials for Universal Secondary Education schools and Kyambogo University, missions abroad and the newly-appointed judges.
The committee heard that a total of sh25b was spent on the procurement of upland rice seeds and the management of the post-emergency recovery phase activities for the northern, eastern and western regions.
Okecho suggested that ministers be summoned to explain how the funds were utilised.
The committee also resolved to summon the finance minister, Dr. Ezra Suruma to explain the source of the funds that were allocated to the ministries yet it was not budgeted for.