MONROVIA – The House of Representatives has passed into law the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 National Budget with a thirty-one percent or US$2,586 reduction in the monthly salaries and allowances of members of the lower House.

Other decision affecting the House includes 50 percent cut in gasoline allotment for members of the body.

Making a report to the Plenary during Tuesday’s special session, the Co-chairman of the House’s Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, Nimba county District #1 Representative, Jeremiah Koung, said the US$2,586 was deducted from representatives’ monthly salaries of US$8,500 in addition to a 50 percent cut in their gasoline allowance.

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) on June 30 submitted the National Budget for Fiscal Year 2019/2020 to the National Legislature through House Speaker Bhofal Chambers.

The budget was in the tone of US$532,906,966.00 million.

The document was forwarded to the Joint Committees on Ways, Means and Finance, and Public Accounts and Expenditure of the Legislature to review and conduct hearings with the relevant government ministries and agencies and report to plenary for legislative action.

Koung, however, disclosed that proceeds from the deductions will be used to place on the government payroll about 2,000 public sector employees in the areas of health and security.

To further support the harmonization process, Koung disclosed that 36 percent or US$3,600 was deducted from members of the Liberian Senate, while six percent was deducted from members of the Executive branch of government, excluding teachers, medical and security personnel and those earning US$500.00 and below to address the compensation gap.

He added that there was 16 percent reduction in the salaries and benefits of judges and six percent in salaries of all employees of the Judiciary Branch of government.

Rep. Koung said that the budget, which was submitted to the legislature in the tone of US$532 million was analyzed and scrutinized, and presented to plenary in the total amount of US$526 million, adding that the US$7 million deduction from the amount submitted was unrealistic and as such important to be cut to avoid budget shortfall.

According to the report presented to plenary, US$296 million is budgeted for compensation, US$72 million for goods and services, US$81 million for education, US$6.2 million for agriculture, US$43.3 million for infrastructure development, among others.

Following a motion from Sinoe County District #1 Representative, Crayton Duncan, fifty members of the House of Representatives voted for the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 National Budget to be passed and sent to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.

Courtesy of LINA