President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on Parliament and the Parliamentary Service to exercise fiscal prudence and keep expenditures within the recommended ceilings for the year 2024.
The President's recommendation was outlined in a report from Parliament's Special Budget Committee, which was revealed on Friday.
According to the report, the President approved and recommended an amount of GH¢1,022,482,803, representing 92% of the requested budget by Parliament for the services of Parliament and the Parliamentary Service in the 2024 financial year.
This recommendation aligns with Section 15A of the Parliamentary Service Act, 1993 (Act 460) (as Amended).
In the previous financial year (2023), an allocation of GH¢797,850,320 was made for the Parliament of Ghana's programs and activities.
As of November 30, 2023, GH¢668,253,470, equivalent to 83.76% of the total allocation, had been released, leaving an unreleased balance of GH¢129,596,850, or 16.24% of the 2023 allocation.
The Majority Leader and Chairman of the Special Budget Committee, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, moved a motion on the floor for the House to approve the estimates for the year ending December 31, 2024.
He emphasized that the Committee had thoroughly examined the budget estimates and found the proposed programs and policies for 2024 to be necessary for achieving the goals and objectives of the Parliament of Ghana.
“The Committee accordingly recommends to the House to adopt this report and approve the GH¢1,022,482,803 for the services of Parliament and the Parliamentary Service for the 2024 financial year,” Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated.