Government to operate composite budget system next year

Kumasi, Sept 13, GNA - Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has said government was determined to implement the composite budget system in the 2012 fiscal year.

He said Cabinet has already approved the system, and officials and staff of the district assemblies would be assisted to understand the operation of the system.

The composite budget, the Minister explained, would be an integrated district budget, incorporating all budgets of the decentralized departments, to avoid overlapping of financial resource allocations.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah was speaking at the opening of a day's workshop on the budget system held for Chief Executives of Metropolitan, Municipal and District by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in Kumasi.

It aimed at equipping participants with skills and knowledge required for the operation of the new system, towards effective financial administration of the assemblies.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said the adoption of the system would help to de-link the decentralized departments from their mother departments. He said it would also help to strengthen the relationship between MMDAs and the decentralized departments, to enhance effective and efficient management of resources.

Mr Elvis Afriyie- Ankrah, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Government, said the workshop was historic and innovative" in the country's financial and budgeting arrangement.

He said it was a fulfillment of the National Democratic Congress campaign promise to deepen the decentralization system and reverse the decline of local government.