Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has said that the government will oversee implementation of the 2022/2023 national budget and work on advice and guidance issued by Members of Parliament.
The Head of State said this through her official Twitter account @SuluhuSamia while congratulating the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson and MPs for concluding the august House.
The seventh parliamentary meeting and budget session which began in March and ended on June 30, saw the approval of 41.48 tri/- budget estimates for the fiscal year 2022/2023.
Commenting on the concluded parliamentary session, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Budget Committee Daniel Sillo (Babati-Rural, CCM) said they have been working on the budget for three months and by God’s Grace, it went well.
“This budget is historic and revolutionary in our nation because it has prioritised key productive sectors such as agriculture whose budget has been increased from 294bn/- to 954bn/- and livestock and fisheries have increased from 168bn/- to 268bn/-,” he said.
He added, “I believe we will make history if the government collects revenue well because it has touched all the significant sectors in our country.”
Sebastian Kapufi, MP for Mpanda said what made him happy about this year’s budget was finding a solution to water problems, where the 28-city water projects will benefit many people, including his constituency where there is a water crisis.
“Increasing the budget for the ministry of agriculture, linking all regions through road projects and through this budget Katavi Region will be connected to the national grid,” he said.
On June 14, the Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba presented the budget estimates which put emphasis on a number of cost-cutting measures to cushion the common people against spiraling costs of living.
Before tabling the budget estimates during the marathon session which is usually the longest compared to other settings of the august House, MPs also had an opportunity to debate and endorse budgets presented by ministers from different dockets.
This year’s budget is the first to be wholly prepared by the sixth phase government under President Samia after she assumed the mantle of leadership following the death of the fifth phase President John Magufuli in March, last year.
MPs also asked several basic and supplementary questions to the government on a number of issues affecting their constituencies and the country at large.
There were also direct questions to the PM by MPs every Thursday during the customary questions to the premier which was adopted during the past parliaments.
It was also during the session that the Minister for Energy, Mr January Makamba, announced the decision by President Samia to provide a subsidy of 100bn/- each year to reduce the burden on the increasing prices of petroleum products.
President Samia has been hailed for implementing almost 95 per cent of the 2021/2022 financial plan which she inherited from her predecessor and hopes are high that implementation of the 2022/2023 budget would improve even higher.
Finance Minister, Dr Nchemba was categorical while presenting the budget that the large chunk of financing will be channeled to agriculture, manufacturing and infrastructure in order to stimulate the economy as the world reels from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Last Monday Dr Nchemba introduced 35 amendments for execution of budget estimates for the financial year through the Finance Bill of 2022, which seeks to reduce and change various taxes, levies and other charges.
The Finance Bill was unanimously approved by the Parliament on Tuesday after it was debated for two days by lawmakers. The Bill is now subject to the President’s assent to become a law.
The Minister on Monday explained that the changes are aimed at putting in place a stable and reliable tax regime, improving compliance in payment of taxes and improving the business and investment environment.
In their reaction after the Finance Bill was tabled, Members of Parliament hailed the government for incorporating almost 40 per cent of recommendations made by the Parliamentary Budget Committee and legislators.
Some of the proposals include reinstating the arrangement by local government authorities to allocate 10 per cent of their internal revenues to provide loans to women, youths and people with disabilities.
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