|
|
|
|
| National |
| Govt wants K20 billion |
|
by
Gedion Munthali, 01 July 2004
-
09:07:59
|
Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe will be asking the House on a day yet to be appointed to allow him to spend K20 billion from today until the presentation of the next budget by September 30, 2004.
“The money will be used for purposes of meeting expenditure necessary to carry on the services of government from July 1 2004, the beginning of 2004/2005 financial year to September 30, 2004 or until the Appropriation Act 2004 comes into force,” yesterday’s order paper indicated.
The order paper is the official agenda of each sitting day of the national Assembly, but it also carries notices for business to come.
“The Finance Minister will move a motion that the House does authorise withdrawal from the consolidated Fund of an amount not exceeding K19, 916, 523, 274, …however that monies so withdrawn shall be included under the appropriate heads in the Appropriation Bill relating to the Appropriation Act 2004,” reads the notice.
Gondwe said on Thursday, June 18 2004 that this year’s budget would not be presented and passed before July 1 as required by law because he would only present it in two or three months time.
He said time between his appointment and July 1 was not enough to come up with a meaningful budget.
“It will take time for the budget to go to Parliament and it should be ready in the next two or three months,” said Gondwe.
Section 178 of the Malawi Constitution empowers the National Assembly to allow the Minister of Finance to start spending in the event that the budget is not ready as long as the money spent is included in the pending budget.
According to the section, the grace period allowed is four months from the beginning of the government financial year, which is July 1.
He hinted two weeks ago his budget would focus on increasing prosperity.
Meanwhile, the House which meets in the afternoon only on Wednesdays, was adjourned after only meeting for 25 minutes as copies of President Bingu wa Mutharika’s state-of-the-nation address had just been circulated in the chamber, and leaders of opposition parties, who were expected to make responses, had not gone through them.
Scheduled to make official responses before general debate, according to the order paper, were leader of the opposition John Tembo and People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) leader Aleke Banda. But leader of the House Yusuf Mwawa said the responses be made today to enable the two leaders, and rest of members, digest Mutharika’s speech.
Tembo, although supporting Mwawa’s proposal, was not amused: “ I support the motion, but I would like to state that this is the first time in the history of Parliament that after the President’s speech, members have had to wait for 24 hours to get copies of the speech.”
Mwawa said the copies delayed because of technical fault at Government Printing Press in Zomba where they were printed.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
