PAP adopts its revised budget for 2020

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) on Thursday, adopted the Report of the Committee on Monetary and Financial Matters, presented by the Deputy Chairperson, Hon. James Reat GONY on the revision of the PAP Budget for 2020 by the African Union (AU) Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) Subcommittee on Budgetary Matters at the ongoing Third Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of PAP.

African Parliamentary News recalls that PAP had at the Second Ordinary Session of the PAP in May 2019, adopted a budget of US$20,798,521 presented by the then Chairperson of the Committee, late Senator Mike Temple and submitted same to the AU Executive Council for approval in compliance with the AU Financial Rules and Regulations Article 11(3) which requires that “the PRC shall consider the detailed budget of the Union presented by the Accounting Officer before presentation to the AU Executive Council for consideration”.

The PAP’s Operational Budget was reduced by $4,390,344 and approved as $16,408,177 representing a budget cut of about 21.10%. Hon. GONY explained that the budget cuts were mainly on the budget lines with low execution rates, although some of the cuts were arbitrary. The budget cuts were mainly in the following areas:

Staff Cost, reduced from $10,146,633 to $9,055,693 (budget cut of $1,090,940).

Parliamentarian’s allowances, reduced from $802,400 to $342,000.

Program budget was cut from $8,392,526 to $5,861,974 (a budget cut of $2,530,552).

Parliamentary Sessions, cut from $3,057,826 to $2,600,5119.

Committee Sittings, cut from $1,332,075 to $1,000,061

Non Statutory meetings, cut from $880,000 to $330,660.

Hon. GONY disclosed that the PRC Subcommittee on Budgetary Affairs advised that Organs and AU Departments may request  supplementary  budget in 2020 but that the granting of approval would depend on compliance with submission of periodic performance reports as well as acceptable budget execution rate.

Concluding, Hon. GONY requested the approval of the Plenary for the Bureau and the Secretariat of PAP to address the issue of low budget execution as it has a direct impact on budget allocations to the institution. He further recommended that the Bureau of PAP should urgently constitute a team that would meet with the PRC to address two key issues that impact on the budget of the PAP and its relations with the African Union Commission including allowances of parliamentarians; special allowances as related to the lower cadre of the PAP staff; and recruitment of staff to meet the challenges of a modern parliament.