House convenes for federal fiscal budget deliberations

(Parliament news): July 01, 2021; Addis Ababa: House of Peoples’ Representatives convened its 17th regular session to conduct deliberations on the federal fiscal budget plan of the country, today.

The House did so in the presence of His Excellence Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance of the FDRE, who presided over the assembly. The deliberative session was mainly intended to dedicate the floor for MPs to raise their inquiries and forward opinions and comments that they think are valuable regarding the new budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year of the nation.

Honourable Shambel Jember Asmamaw inquired about the budget allocation consideration for the 2 point 3 million people in the Amhara region who were jumped over when a census was conducted before a period of time. Again, he rose about the supervision and monitoring measures application on govt institutions with audit findings. His multiple questions covered about financial loans and grants from foreign sources, cost of living, inflation and additional costs Universities were obliged to expend for #Covid-19 victims.

Honourable Dogisso Gonna on his part appreciated the budget plan and the clearly stated measures mentioned in the plan to tackle the inflation challenge of the nation. Yet, he wanted to hear the clear-cut viable actions planned by the govt.

MPs like Honourable Zeleke Mehari, Honurable Tadesse Meselu, Honourable Birtukan Sebsibe and Honourable Fantaye Wendmu forwarded multiple inquiries and comments on the budget plan of the new fiscal year. All of their inquiries and comments focus on the feasibility of the plan and viability of the allocated budget in the respective govt institutions and regions across the nation.

Minister of Finance His Excellence Ahmed Shide reacted to all the inquiries from the MPs. Regarding the census issue, he said; the mandate belongs to the House of Federation to deal with enumeration of a given people in a given region and when the House does so, we’ll follow the formula. Institutions with audit findings have been subject to correction measures so far, he replied to another question.

“The foreign sources of financial loan and grants are the credible ones and hence, MPs shall not get anxious about it. On the other hand, the Treasury bill market as part of home grown economy is reliable when it comes to the budget deficit. This fiscal year, the federal govt spent 17 billion Eth Birr to counter the disasters occurred across the nation. As well, 2 billion Eth Birr is subsidized for fertilizers. The Federal Police has got an additional 1 point 2 billion Eth Birr for its next budget apart from the one in the plan” The Minister elucidated.

H.E. Ahmed Shide responded to all the inquiries mentioned above and touched other corner stones of the plan in his elaboration.

The 17th regular session of the day has came to an end after the deliberation conducted between the MPs and the senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, this very day.

By Asrat Addisu