Government is seeking parliamentary approval of GHC6,067,600,214.00 from the Consolidated Fund to cater for expenditure for the first quarter of 2013 fiscal year.
This is in accordance with Article 180 of the Constitution which states that �where it appears to the President that the Appropriation Act in respect of any financial year will not come into operation by the beginning of the financial year, he may, with the prior approval of Parliament by a resolution, authorise the withdrawal of moneys from the consolidated fund for the purpose of meeting expenditure necessary to carry on the services of the Government in respect of the period expiring three months from the beginning of the financial year or on the coming into operation of the Act whichever is earlier.�
Accordingly, expenditure in advance of appropriation, which shows the amount the government requires out of the Consolidated Fund to meet expenditure on public services until 2013 annual budget estimates were approved, had been referred to Parliament�s Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The Committee was expected to conclude its report on the expenditure for consideration and approval by the House today before Parliament goes on recess.
Government in a memorandum accompanying the Appropriation had indicated that the GHC 6,067,600,214.00 would cover compensation for employees, good and services, assets, retained internally generated funds, donor funds, statutory funds and expenditure under other government obligation.
According to the memorandum signed by Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, on no account should votes provided in the estimates be used to defray indebtedness carried over from the 2012 fiscal year.
�All payments vouchers, which were lodged with the treasuries but could not be passed for payments have lapsed. Treasury officers should therefore not process such vouchers against the votes in the provisional estimates,� the memorandum stated.
It further cautioned that fresh approvals must be obtained from the Finance Ministry before such spill-overs are settled.
�All Heads of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are required to submit returns of actual expenditure on monthly basis to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the appropriate select Committee not later than fifteen working days after the end of each month of account. All MDAs are expected to strictly comply with this essential requirement,� the memorandum stated.
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