11 November 2003
THE Barotse Royal Establishment (BRA) has called for innovative and effective budgetary controls that will ensure successful implementation of the budget under the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
Induna Imandi Muteto Kandala said this in Mongu yesterday when Finance and National Planning Deputy Minister Felix Mutati paid a courtesy call on the Litunga at Limulunga to explain the MTEF and the 2004 national budget.
The induna said while the royal establishment appreciated the efforts Government had so far made in putting effective accounting mechanisms, the absence of budgeting controls was central to the problems of budget overruns.
He observed that there were serious lapses in control mechanisms of cost centres like salaries and wages while efficiency and effectiveness of the civil service were in most cases compromised.
He noted that if the budget failed to achieve efficiency, there would be no progress in areas of good economic management.
The induna further observed that the other area that failed the budgetary process was the inertia in implementing the budget.
"There is care exhibited when preparing the budget but not so much when it comes to implementation," he said.
Other concerns raised included the issue of debt management, levels of inflation, distorted structure of fuel prices and other commodities which he said were not economical.
The minister said the issues raised were critical to ensure effectiveness and efficiency which were core to the management of the budgetary process.
Mr Mutati concluded his tour of Eastern, Southern and Western provinces where he was explaining Government vision in the MTEF programmes to run from 2004 to 2006.
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