Parliament approves GH¢ 9.4b for 26 public institutions

Parliament has approved GH¢9, 404,510,928 from the Consolidated Fund as the budget estimates of 26 public institutions for the fiscal year, with the health sector garnering the chunk of the amount.

Ministry of Health received GH¢ 3,529,444,056, Ministry of Communications GH¢56, 968,313, and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, GH¢447, 495,901. National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) received GH¢8, 994,734 and National Labour Commission was allocated GH¢2, 084,623.

National Media Commission (NMC) was given GH¢2, 560,322, which is 50 per cent less than the proposed budget, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice was allocated GH¢9, 900,203, a 39 per cent reduction of what was requested while Public Service Commission garnered GH¢5, 052,559 out of a proposed sum of GH¢13, 598,483.07.

National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) got GH¢18, 103,149.00, registering a deficit of GH¢15, 222,302 in actual estimates for the fiscal year. Ministry of Energy and Petroleum was given GH¢1, 061,947,265 while the Employment and Labour Relations Ministry received GH¢61, 229,880.

Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing had GH¢508,902,647 while Ministry of Trade and Industry secured GH¢124,868,440. Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministry, hitherto a sub-sector under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture received GH¢48,336,230, Lands and Natural Resources Ministry got GH¢226,433,976 and Ministry of Defense GH¢575,609,022.

Ministry of the Interior received GH¢825,817,169, Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs Ministry, GH¢19,250,153, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, GH¢139,995,861, with Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Ministry getting GH¢18,585,375.

The House also approved GH¢110,229,048 for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and GH¢706,721,937 for Ministry of Roads and Highways. Ministry of Finance was allocated GH¢292,206,478 and Ghana Revenue Authority GH¢433,506,300. The Information and Media Relations Ministry netted GH¢41,670,827 and Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry got GH¢38,596,470.

The allocation for the NMC drew spirited responses, with both sides of the House agreeing that the provision was woefully inadequate, urging government to commit more resources to the body to continuously safeguard Ghana’s outstanding democracy. The lawmakers also complained about the amount allocated to the Ministry of Roads and Highways insisting that the money would have negative effect on road infrastructural development.

The House also registered reservations about the allocations to NCCE and NDPC, insisting that the two organisations are the bastions of development and democracy, hence the need for them to be adequately resourced to carry out their mandate effectively.

The House was initially billed to rise on Friday March 22, but would do so on Wednesday, March 28 to enable it approve the budgets estimates of all state institutions and vet nominees for deputy ministerial positions.