Following the submission of the national budget for fiscal year 2015/2016 to the Legislature by the Executive, the Ministry of Finance Development Planning (MFDP) has launched series of budget awareness activities to draw public knowledge of the process and promote public access to the fiscal documents.
Director for Budget, policy and Coordination at MFDP, Anthony Myers reaffirmed in his interaction with students of the United Methodist University Friday, July 17, 2015, that budget awareness is government’s priority and it is require by law, and those laws is govern by various components.
Mr. Myers said the Budget awareness activities will be held across the country to enable citizens have access and build their knowledge of the fiscal documents. During the process, the require law is not meant for the Ministry of Finance and Development planning decision along, it is also meant for the legislature and the executive branch too.
According to him, the require law has various component that consist of the medium term expenditure frame work, lone and short term, Agenda for Transformation, etc. for the Agenda for Transformation, it is government major plan that is used to support the national vision for Liberia becoming a miler income country.
He also said the national budget is made up of two important components that include Strategy Planning and Operational Planning.
He explained: “Strategy planning in the budget process run from September to January. Why the Operational Planning run from February to April. The Strategy planning in the budget process represents a high level decision linking resources priorities in line with resource available why the operational planning in the budget process is a draft details budget estimate in line with ceiling.”
The Medium term expenditure frame work has three components that are very essentials tools for achieving the best social an economic outcome with the resource available. The three components comprises of fiscal discipline, policy base resources allocated and been efficient and transparent.
For his part, the Dean for the United Methodist University applauded the Government of Liberia through the budget department for allowing his institution to be part of the budget forum discussion.
Open Budget initiative is a global research and advocacy program to promote public access to budget information and adaption of account budget systems.
The open forum discussions were attended by students, Dean, teachers, and team from the Ministry of Finance and Development planning.
