The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Amadou Sanneh has said that the draft revised budget represents the reality of the country’s economy at the National Assembly in Banjul.
“We have to be realistic, you cannot expect a young government of six months to solve every problem,” Finance Minister Amadou Sanneh said.
He added:”We have inherited a broken economy “.
Minister Sanneh told deputies that the revised budget was made on the past approved budget made by the former National Assembly. He said this is what has brought about the revised budget to address the situation.
“The previous National Assembly has approved a budget that does not represent reality,” he interjected.
The Finance Minister in his address to the heightening rate of unemployment has highlighted the structural weaknesses while calling on the government to build capacities to encourage skilled workers among the youth population. He urged to build entrepreneurship among the unemployed youth, saying the government cannot provide white colored jobs for all the citizens. He called for attitudinal change.
Minister Sanneh said a committee has been set up to look into the government vehicles while proposing that some of the vehicles may be put up for sale at discounted prices.
The Finance Minister said he did sympathise with the country’s pensioners. He added that his ministry will consider the low income earners like the drivers and cleaners who are earning D1, 500 as monthly salaries. He said his ministry is considering the number of embassies which he said was also highlighted by the country’s donor partners.
“The Personnel Management Office PMO is coming with a preliminary reports to get rid of all those ghost workers,” he pointed out.
Minister Sanneh also addressed the issue of redundancy emphasizing the need for every employee to be actively engaged rather than having groups of people sitting on one table in the government institutions. He called for revival of public and private sectors to create employment for the youth.
Meanwhile, the revised budget was subjected to scrutiny before it was passed and approved by the National Assembly.
