𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐚, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒): His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. earlier today, presented the Fiscal Year 2025 Draft National Budget to the National Legislature in the amount of US US$851.8 Million (comprising Core Revenue of US$833 Million and Contingent Revenue of US$18.8 Million) to the Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives through the Chief Clerk according to a release from the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism.
The draft national budget for 2025 represents 15.3% increase over the 2024 Recast Budget total appropriation of US$738.9 million. The draft budget captures appropriations aimed at delivering on key priorities of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) as well as addressing debt service and other obligations of the government.
Multiple sources from Capitol Hill confirmed Monday that the budget was submitted to the majority bloc headed by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah.
Mildred Sayon, Chief Clerk of the House has since been on sick leave and her Deputy who’s acting has been on the side of the majority bloc since news broke that majority members wanted the Speaker out.
The 43 members since started doing business in the joint chambers of the Legislature refusing to sit under the gavel of the embattled Speaker.
“President Boakai has urged the lawmakers to exert their best efforts towards ensuring timely consideration and approval of the budget to ensure effective and efficient execution of the budget beginning January 2025,” Monday’s release said.
The MoI said the submission of the draft national budget is in compliance with Section 17.1 of the 2019 Amendment and Restatement of the Public Financial Management Act 2009.
