Budget Session Starts Dec. 1st

(Daily Observer)--Members of the National Assembly will this Thursday be presented the Draft 2012 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure including the Development Expenditure of the Government of The Gambia for the fiscal year January 1st to December 31st 2012 (both dates inclusive).

To be submitted by the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mambury Njie, the session will accord lawmakers the opportunity to proceed and debate on the 2012 Draft Estimates from Monday December 5th to 7th 2011. According to reports from the National Assembly, members of the house shall on Wednesday December 7th, 2011 debate on a Motion on Ecowas Commission's Decision on the 24th November Presidential Polls.

Other reports and bills will also be laid before the National Assembly for consideration, adoption and enactment by the lawmakers during the fourth meeting of the 2011 Legislative Year. “The Auditor General’s Report on the Financial statement of the Government of The Gambia for the year ended 31st December 2007, by the minister of Finance and Economic Affairs; External Auditors Report on the Audited Accounts and Financial Statement of the National Audit Office by the vice chairman of the Public Accounts/Public Enterprises Committees of the National Assembly,” it stated.

Deputies will also look at the Gambia Public Transport Corporation Repeal Bill 2011 and The Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute Bill 2011 to be presented by ministers of Works, Construction and Infrastructure Dr Njogu Bah, and Aja Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, minister of Tourism and Culture respectively. On Friday 16th December 2011, the Finance and Economic Affairs minister shall present the Appropriation Bill, 2012 (Budget Speech) at 5 p.m. highlighting The Gambia government’s development programmes for the coming fiscal year 2012.