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Parliament approves GH¢12.1billion for
Government Business
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh,
Ghanadot
Accra, Dec 21, Ghanadot - Ghana’s Parliament
over the weekend passed the Appropriation
Bill under certificate of urgency after
debating and approving the budget estimates
of Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDA’s)
for the 2010 fiscal year.
The House on Friday worked late into the
evening to approve the sun sum of GH¢12,131,313,668.00
to finance government operations during the
fiscal year. The Minister of Finance and
Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffour, moved
the motion for the approval of the amount
and was seconded by James Klutse Avedzi,
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on
Finance.
The House could not rise on
Friday as expected and therefore scheduled
to wind up its business today to close the
First Session of the Fifth Parliament and
adjourn to reconvene on January 27.
The House also approved the Customs and
Excise Duties and other Taxes (Amendment)
No.2 Bill, 2009, to among other things,
impose 20 per cent ad-valorem rates of duty
on cigarette and akpeteshie to cut down on
abuse, but that was strongly opposed by a
many of the society, would no more be
affordable.
Out of the amount approved, GH¢3,887,691,738,08
billion would be used for statutory payments
and GH¢8,243,621,930.00 for discretionary
payments.
Statutory payment includes external debt
service. Domestic interest, district
Assemblies Common Fund, Petroleum-related
fund and transfers to household involving
pensions, gratuities and ¢8,243,621,930.00
for discretionary payments.
Statutory payment includes external debt
service. Domestic interest, district
Assemblies Common Fund, petroleum-related
fund and transfers to household involving
pensions, gratuities and social security.
Discretionary payments include personal
emoluments, administration, services,
domestic investments, net lending,
foreign-financed investments, utility price
subsidies, strategic oil stock, tax refund,
repayment of domestic debt, and other
transfers.
Presenting the Finance Committee’s report on
the Appropriation Bill, Mr Avedzi said the
committee observed that MDAs should be
permitted to retain and use an amount of GH¢595,700
million of internally generated funds during
the fiscal year.
Again Mr Avedzi said the committee noted
that the Bill includes a sum of money not
exceeding GH¢209,312 million of HIPC
allocation to be utilized during the
financial year.
He said GH¢103,834 million of multilateral
debt relief initiative was included to be
utilized during the 2010 fiscal year.
Ghanadot
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