MONROVIA, May 29 (LINA) - President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has blamed the lingering budget shortfall on a number of fiscal expenditure factors that were “neither calculated nor budgeted” for in recent budget years.
She named some of the factors as the deployment of troops at the border in 2012 and assuming financial responsibility to carry out programs such as free medical services that were supported by partners, among others.
“The situation of the repeated attacks along our borders with La Cote d’Ivoire, which had compelled us to deploy troops across the difficult border area, is an absolutely necessary deployment of which we neither calculated nor budgeted,” the President said in a nationwide radio address on Wednesday.
President Sirleaf also attributed the budget shortfall to the “medium term expenditure framework budget.”
“Firstly, we are still learning the details of managing a medium-term expenditure framework budget, which is important to securing and protecting important public sector investments such as roads, energy and damages over a three-year period,” she explained.
The Liberian leader noted that the government must pay the price “for our growth and progress,” citing as example government’s responsibility to carry out programs “once supported by partners.”
“We have been previously supported by partners to carry out programs such as free medical services, including the hiring of additional health care workers and provision of drugs and free education,” she pointed out.
“We must now take full responsibility for these important services which we intend to continue because it makes a difference in the lives of the people,” she added.
President Sirleaf said government has continued to address situations as she uncovers them, noting, “We are confident that the Liberian economy remains fundamentally strong and poised to achieve the potentials we have identified.”
She said in order to achieve this goal, the administration is undertaking bolder and tougher measures to “streamline our priorities” and increase revenue so as to continue to invest in roads, electricity, education, health, security and water and sewer that will “multiply opportunities and benefits for all of our people.”
LINA WG/JGT/TSS/PTK