Members of Parliament yesterday night converged at the Ngoa-Ekelle Hemicycle in a plenary sitting to examine and adopt the 2010 Finance bill of the country. The 2010 draft budget presented by the government and previously examined by the Finance and Budget Committee of the National Assembly stands at FCFA 2570 billion.

The examination of the Finance bill started at 5:45 p.m. and was expected to last up to the early hours of today. Before the scrutiny of the 2010 finance bill proper, Members of Parliament examined and adopted the 2008 Settlement bill that concerned the income and expenditure of the 2008 State budget. The Minister of Finance, Essimi Menye defended both the 2008 Settlement bill and the 2010 Finance bill.

Parliamentarians used the presentation of the settlement bill to ask clarifications from government why there is usually a budget excess despite the fact that some projects contained in the budget are either not executed or abandoned. Hon. Joseph Banadzem and Hon. Joseph Mbah Ndam also inquired from government whether excess in the budget is usually carried forward to the subsequent financial year. In response, the Finance Minister, Essimi Menye said the State budget is usually managed for a period of 12 months, stating that revenue collection begins on the first of every month. He said that when a project starts late, payment is done in the following year and further explained that the calculation at the end of the year that gives a balance on the budget execution is different from the physical execution of the budget. Essimi Menye told the people’s representatives that since February 2008, the country’s budget is managed from its internal resources without withdrawing money from the reserves in the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). This, he explained, was due to reforms in the country’s finance sector that have resulted in the Taxation and Customs departments paying much money into the State treasury.

After the 2010 finance bill must have been adopted, members of parliament will on Wednesday, December 2 and Friday, December 4, hold plenary sittings to adopt other bills government tabled for scrutiny and adoption.

source:quotidienCameroonTribune du 01/12/09