Officials of the Communities and Finance ministries are set to meet with the Local Government Commission (LGC) after discovering that the 2019 employment cost for its commissioners and staff will account for 91.4% of its total budgetary allocation for the year.
The ministry made the announcement in a press release on Friday, when it also disclosed that releases have been made for payment of salaries of the staff of the Local Government Commission for the month of January, 2019. It explained that while submissions for payment were made, the releases request to the Ministry of Finance was not made in time for payment of salaries on January 16th, 2019.
“Further, it was observed that the 2019 employment cost for the Commissioners and staff was 91.4% of the 2019 Budgetary Allocation, which raises concerns regarding available resources to meet other charges for 2019,” it, however, added.
As a result, in an effort to determine the availability of funds to cover other charges, the release said officials of the Ministry of Communities, the Ministry of Finance and the Local Government Commission will meet on Monday.
The LGC received a total allocation of $124,239,000 in the budget for 2019.
The statement noted that in accordance with the 2019 Finance Circular, “No expenses or contract or other arrangement provided for the payment of public monies… shall be entered into unless there is sufficient, unencumbered balance available in the appropriation.”
At the same time, the ministry assured its full support for the work of the LGC and added that it will collaborate with the commission to ensure Local Democratic Organs deliver satisfactory services in all communities.
The Local Government Commission is a corporate body provided with a subvention through the Ministry of Communities, the release added.
