ADDIS ABABA- The House of Peoples Representatives (HPR) approved supplementary budget for this fiscal year, four loan agreements, and a proclamation to reestablish the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. On its fourth tenure fourth extraordinary session yesterday the house discussed eight agendas and passed various decisions.
Based on the report of the Revenue, Budget and Finance Standing Committee, the house has approved 33.99 billion birr supplementary budget for the federal government for the current fiscal year 2018-19. The additional budget was approved in addition to the 346.9 billion Birr budget that has been endorsed in June 2018, during the previous parliamentary year.
Of the total approved budget, 16.99 billion Birr has been obtained as grant and 16.99 billion Birr in terms of loan from external International Development Association. According to the standing committee report, this additional budget will be allocated under the regular and capital budget flow, in which 18.9 billion birr are allocated for the compensation of the decreasing national revenue in this fiscal year. In relation to this, 8.75 billion Birr has also been allocated to pay back for the expenses of imported wheat with zero margins, whereas the remaining 6.1 billion Birr is set for accrued capital projects.
In addition, the House approved 240 million Birr to pay the government’s share it has in Tullu Kapi Gold Development Project to be used for road construction and electrical networking activities. The House also approved an interest free loan agreement amounting to 30 million Euro signed by the Ethiopian government and the Republic of Italy intended for the implementation of Sustainable Inclusive Agricultural Products Value Chain Growth Program.
In addition, a 17 million Euro interest free loan agreement signed by the two countries will be disbursed for the expansion and development of medium and small towns’ sanitation infrastructures and facility program. On the other hand, the House has approved over 222 million USD grant and loan agreement from China Import Export Bank for the execution of Mekelle City water provision services.
It also approved a bill proclamation 70,600,000 SDR loan agreement signed between the Ethiopian government and the International Development Association for Sustainable Land Management Project. Above all, the Houses endorsed the bill to re-establish the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) that aimed at making the institution free from any political influences, as well as creating clear boundary between the board and the secretariat and other related issues.
The Ethiopian Herald April 6/2019 BY DARGIE KAHSAY
