The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has embarked on a three-day budget execution orientation workshop for all 108 spending entities of government. The training which is currently taking place at the Paynesville Town Hall; commenced on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 and is expected to climax today, May 10, targeting all 108 spending entities being represented. Some of the topics that are under review at the event include budget planning and execution, review of the public financial management legal framework, PFM compliance and financial reporting, public procurement processes and procedures, among others. Making remarks on behalf of MFDP Deputy Minister for Budget & Development Planning, Tanneh G. Brunson, Assistant Minister for Budget Planning, Sarah McGill Mulbah, asserted that the training is the first to be held since the inception of the Unity Party led-government, and it is important for them to lay the basis as they go about implementing the national budget. She indicated that the overall objective of the workshop is to provide a platform for policy makes and technical staff within the spending entities to dipping their understanding of the public financial management, specifically the budget landscape with special focus on the execution of the 2024 budget and preparation for the 2025 draft budget. “I am pleased to provide an overview of the fiscal year 2024 budget execution and the 2025 budget preparation orientation workshop. This workshop is somehow belated and we apologized as we all we lost in the processes of the elections and transition,” she said. She asserted that the event is an important initiative for the participants as they share their collective understanding and proficiency in fiscal governance and management.
“It is imperative that I underscored the critical role that each of you play as key stakeholders within our spending entities in shipping the trajectory of our nation development,” she said. The MFDP official further noted that following the recent elections in the country, a new administration took over the helm of authority and said transition came with a new focus on aliening government’s budgetary priority with the ARREST agenda, thus, fostering accountability and advancing its national development objectives. According to her, as government endeavor to navigate the processes of budget planning, execution and reporting, it is important that they equip ourselves with a comprehensive understanding of the requisite laws, regulations, policies and procedures that have been developed to guard the budget process. Accordingly, they see the training as being very important as key stakeholders from the various spending entities are involve to ensure that a comprehensive approach develop, thus representatives from the General Service Agency (GSA), Civil Society, Civil Service Agency (CSA), Public Procurement & Concession Commission (PPCC), Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) Internal Audit Agency (IAA) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC) are key to the process. She noted that they anticipate a fruitful outcome from the workshop which include increase compliance with the legal framework governing the budget formulation, execution and reporting, highlight awareness of key legal ramification and a dipper understanding of budget processes and challenges. “Moreover, we expect fostering enhance inter-governmental coordination, thereby promoting efficiency, accountability and responsible use of public funds,” she said. Also speaking at the event, Integrity Watch Executive Director, Harold Aidoo said they are grateful that the new administration of President Joseph Boakai can see the value of Civil Society participation in governance process of the country. According to him, in the case of Liberia, the challenges that confronts the nation require real partnership between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the government, wherein the demand for transparency and accountability to ensure development outcome are tangible, visible and upheld. “We look forward to a partnership that translates into sharing of information by government, CSO and all other sectors across the country in the execution of the budget. In this way, we as CSO can follow the money and ensure that tangible development outcome and the value for money are attainted,” he said. Macpherson C. Marbiah writes/0777250370-0886442881.
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