By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
Education and roads are priority items in the 2018 National Forecast Budget submitted by President George Manneh Weah to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The Liberian Legislature Joint Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget Chairman Thomas Fallah told our Correspondent in Monrovia that the budget targets the education and road infrastructures.
Fallah said the budget is prioritizing the inter-county road from Nimba to Grand Gedeh, active maintenance of the road during the raining season and the payment of West African Examination fees for all students – both 9th and 12 graders – throughout the country.
The Montserrado County lawmaker said that the total allotment for the budget for the remaining four months is about US$181 million with the two sectors capturing huge allotments.
The Forecast of the 2017/2018 would give way to the submission of the 2018/2019 Budget of which, according to the Public Financial Management Law, the Executive is expected to submit on April 30th.
The 2017/2018 Fiscal Budget will elapse on June 30, while the 2018/2019 Budget will begin on July 1, 2018 and end on June 30, next year.
The 2017/2018 Fiscal Budget in the amount of US$563.6 million as submitted to the Legislature and has become law following its approval and printing into handbills by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
It can be recalled that former President Sirleaf signed the 2017/2018 budget on July 27, 2017.
The handbills were printed on July 31, 2017. This was the 12th and last budget the former President passed before the end of her second term.
The House of Representatives passed the budget on July 18, following weeks of thorough scrutiny and public hearings by the Joint Committee, comprising of Ways, Means, Finance, and Development Planning as well as Public Account and Expenditure.
On July 21, the Senate concurred with the House of Representatives.
It is not yet confirmed whether or not there is a projected budget surplus in the forecast or there would be a backdrop for the Legislature’s coming debate over tax cuts and potential new spending.
