Monrovia — The Governance Reform Commission (GRC) has presented its Second Quarterly Report to the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA), in which it pointed out that national priorities have been placed up side down.

The GRC Chairman, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, presented the twenty-five page comprehensive document to the Assembly Thursday.

Under the title, 'Using the Budgetary Mechanism of Critical Issues for Consideration,' the GRC indicated that one of the core elements of good governance is getting the national priorities right.

Accordingly, the Commission said that recent unfolding events, coupled with national and international pronouncements about activities of the state clearly suggest that our national priorities have been upside down."

The GRC Report pointed out that the budgetary process is one mechanism by which national priorities are determined, established and executed.

Furthermore, the GRC told the legislators that the basic assumptions that determine content and resources allocation are vital to establishing national priorities.

The Commission reasoned that an analysis of the 2004-2005 national budget supports the observation that priorities are not rightly established.

To further back its observation, the GRC, under the sub-title "Misspecification of Objectives," said budget should achieve goals and not be in isolation of macroeconomic targets. To the contrary, the commission is of the opinion that the country's national budget lacks macroeconomic policy orientation.

Giving some details to reporters, minutes after her presentation at the Capitol Building, Madame Sirleaf cited the Ministry of Agriculture as an example where the amount allocated to it is far less that that allocated to the Special Security Services.

She said as one of the key ministries dealing with thousands of displaced and refugees to return to their villages and towns and make their farms, should have received something more than then Special Security Services, particularly "when we know that UNMIL has the responsibility at their own cost for security services."

Additionally, the GRC Chairperson said the amount allocated to the Ministry of Public Works is not realistic looking at the road conditions not only in Monrovia, but throughout the country.

But she praised the government for the impressive budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Education and hoped that it remains consistent with what is being reflected.