Senate scrutinises 2016 draft Budget

The Senate is in for serious business with the examination of the 2016 State budget forwarded by the National Assembly.

The draft budget which stands at FCFA 4, 234 billion was earlier adopted by the National Assembly and it is now incumbent on the Senate to also examine the proposed amount and the programmes to be executed before endorsing it.

It is for this reason that the Committee on Finance and Budget of the Senate began a vigorous exercise on Monday, December 7, 2015, with different Ministers taking turns to provide clarifications on how the money will be spent.

On Tuesday, December 8, 2015, the Committee chaired by Senator Elie Victor Essomba Tsoungui, welcomed the Minister of State, Minister of Tourism and Leisure, Maïgari Bello Bouba, who presented a draft budget of FCFA 19.6 billion.

According to the Minister of State, the 2016 female African Cup of Nations and the 2019 AFCON to take place in Cameroon are the main focus. The government, he said, is determined to rehabilitate and construct hotels and putting all other amenities in Limbe and Buea in view of a successful organization of the 2016 continental competition.

On the heels of the Tourism and Liesure boss, was the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana with a draft budget of FCFA 5.8 billion. To Trade Minister, attention will be to reduce the cost of living of Cameroonians by ensuring the supply of quality products in the market as well as fight against scarcity and price hikes in the market.

Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, also passed before the committee with a draft budget of FCFA 8.2 billion which he said will focus on revitalizing the State Communication system for optimum coverage of Female AFCON 2016.

The Minister of State, Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso, the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense, Joseph Beti Assomo, the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Territorial Administration in charge of Local Councils, Jules Doret Ndongo, Basic Education Minister and a host of other cabinet Ministers have passed before the Committee to defend their respective budgetary allocations. Yesterday’s deliberations of the Committee were witnessed by the Senate President, Marcel Niat Njifenji in the presence of Grégoire Owona who is representing the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies.