Parliament begins approval of annual budget for MDAs

Parliament on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, approved the sum of GH₵921,843,000 for the services of the Ministry of Transport and its agencies to carry out its programmes and activities for the 2022 fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.

The annual estimates allocation to the Ministry represents an increase of 40.13% over the 2021 budgetary allocation of GH₵657,839,197.

A statement issued by Parliament said the programme budget covers the Ministry’s Headquarters including Marine and Water Transport namely the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Marine Authority, Ghana Shippers Authority, the Regional Maritime University, the Volta Lake Transport Company and the PSC Tema Shipyard.

The budgetary allocation also covers the Ministry’s Road Transport Services including Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, National Road Safety Authority, Metro Mass Transport Limited, Inter-City STC Coaches Limited as well as Government Technical Training Centre.

A Deputy Minister for Transport Fredrick Obeng Adom moving the motion for approval in Parliament explained that objectives of the Ministry include increasing the efficiency and capacity of port operation, ensuring safety and security of all categories of road users and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of road transport infrastructure and services.

The policy objective of the Ministry as derived from the Medium Term Development Framework is to also enhance the contribution of inland waterways for safe and efficient transportation of goods and people and to ensure effective and effective flow of goods, services and related information to meet consumer requirements.

The Chairman of the Committee Roads and Transport Committee Kennedy Nyarko Osei presenting the Committee’s report said the Committee observed with concern the arbitrary fees charged by shipping lines which significantly increase the import cost of importers and ultimately sours up cost of imported commodities.

The Deputy Ranking Member of the Committee and the MP for Adaklu Governs Kwame Agbodza called for the liquidation of the position of Director of the non-existent Keta Sea Port which he described as a drain on the nations scarce resources.

The House has also approved the annual estimates totalling GHS 575,970,000.00 for the services of the Ministry of Railway Development for the year ending 31st December, 2022 instead of the required capital expenditure of GHS 2,520,033,185.00

The Minister for Railway Development Peter Amewu moving the motion for approval noted that objectives of the Ministry are to modernise and extend rail network, ensure effective and efficient flow of goods, services and related information to meet consumer needs as well as develop associated infrastructure to enhance well-functioning regulatory bodies.

The Chairman of the Committee Roads and Transport Committee Kennedy Nyarko Osei presenting the Committee’s report disclosed that the Tema-Mpankadan standard gauge railway project is about 90% complete and is expected to be completed in 2022.

In another development, the House the House has approved the sum of five hundred and seventy-four thousand, eight hundred and fifty- six thousand Ghana cedis (GHS574,856,000.00) in annual estimates for the services of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation for the year ending 31st December, 2022.