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The GH¢786.9 million budget set aside by the Electoral Commission for the general elections of 2024 has received approval from Parliament.
It received an approval on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
The House has also requested that the GH¢140.7 million shortfall be addressed by the Ministry of Finance in order to guarantee a seamless conduct of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
The motion for the budget’s approval was made by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Chairman of the Special Budget Committee of Parliament. He claimed that the GH¢140.7 million was an essential component of the EC’s budget and that the Finance Ministry’s allotment of GH¢786.9 million was insufficient to meet the EC’s initial request.
“The Commission insists that without the GH¢140.7 million, it will be difficult to conduct timeously and in a proper way, the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections as slated for December 2024,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
He outlined the main initiatives the EC intended to carry out, such as acquiring more BVDs and BVR, increasing the number of polling places, hiring and educating electoral officers, filling in for departed employees, modernizing data centers, and acquiring ICT equipment.
The EC proposed a budget request of GH¢932.03 million for the 2024 fiscal year. The Finance Ministry did, however, cap the allocation at GH¢786.9 million, leaving GH¢140.7 million shortfall. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu underlined how urgent it is to approve the proposed budget in order to allow the EC to complete its vital tasks on time.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
