The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, has spoken about the recent debate in
Parliament of Uganda and related media reports about the proposed reduction of budget for Parliament next financial year.
Two weeks ago, as the State Minister of finance, Hon Henry Musasizi, presented to the house the budget estimates for the upcoming financial year, it was revealed that there is a plan to cut parliament’s budget by 50% which triggered outrage among MPs.
Speaker Among and other MPs described the proposed cut as “disrespectful, humiliating and demeaning” to the Legislature. She wondered how the house was to run its business with such funding cuts. Musasizi later disowned talk of budget cuts on parliament saying it was an individual opinion of Ggoobi.
Speaking on KFM radio talk-show on Saturday, Ggoobi said budgets for Statutory Institutions including Parliament of Uganda and the Judiciary are only discussed in parliament but with H.E the President.
He said proposals about the budget of
Parliament of Uganda are before H.E the President and he will make the final decision on budget of Parliament of Uganda. The proposals, Ggoobi says, are meant to cut on expenditure budget as part of the rationalization in government amid a struggling economy.
Ggoobi said the finance ministry, for instance, made a proposal to cabinet to reduce the budget for travel abroad in all government entities, departments and agencies including Parliament of Uganda.
Ggoobi also said Parliament of Uganda has all the powers to appropriate the budget adding that the major debate is whether appropriation involves budgeting which is the mandate of the Executive.
The PSST said over the last 2 years,the budget for travel abroad in government has been reduced from shs.240bn to under shs.100bn.