Parliament Approves GHS78bn Govt Expenditure for 2019

Parliament has approved an amount of GHS 78.7 billion for government’s expenses in the 2019 financial year.

Out of this amount, an estimated GHS 18 billion will go into interest payments of existing loans, GHS 22.8 billion has been earmarked for compensation of employees and GHS 1.6 billion allocated for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), among others.

This was announced in the Appropriation Bill, 2018, which went through a certificate of urgency late in the night of Saturday, 22 December 2018, before the House rose for the Christmas break.

The approval of the Appropriation Bill will enable government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund and other funds during the financial year commencing 1 January 2019 and ending 31 December 2019 for the purpose of meeting government expenditure.

Debating the bill, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah said the approval will enable government embark and fulfil its numerous electoral promises.

Meanwhile, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, has asked the Finance Minister to release all the monies approved by Parliament on time.