No Renovation Of Gov�t Bungalows In 10yrs

The Ongoing consideration and approval of 2014 budget estimates for the various Ministries Departments and Agencies has revealed that �majority of government residential units have not had any kind of maintenance over the last ten years.� According to the report submitted yesterday on the floor of Parliament by the Select Committee on Works and Housing, chaired by David Tetteh Assumeng, funds have not been released to the Public Works Department (PWD) for any renovation works. But, officials of the Ministry in response said a percentage of rent deducted at source by the Controller and Accountant General�s Department for the maintenance works to be undertaken by the PWD was unfortunately paid �wholly into the Consolidated Fund without remitting to the Ministry, the percentage that should accrue for maintenance works.� The committee thus recommended that the Finance Ministry put measures in place to ensure that rent on government residential units were paid into a special account to be used for maintenance works. The committee further observed that about 70% of the entire 2014 budget allocation to the sector ministry is for programmes and sub-programmes under the Water Resource and Sanitation Management Sector and that showed government�s commitment to improve on water and sanitation services. Mr. Assumeng observed that all expenditure items of the ministry �for 2013 performed abysmally� except for expenditure on employee compensation which had an over-run of over 31% of the 2013 allocation. The Works and Housing Committee also expressed worry about the inability of the ministry to meet its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) projections �since the funds were to be generated from facilities that are physical structures.� The Water Resources, Works and Housing Ministry, according to the committee�s report, also �failed to include the amount of donor funds released for projects in 2013 budget year, even though donor funds were a substantial inclusion in the budget estimates� approved for the ministry. The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing after comments from members had its 2014 budget estimates of GHC531, 389,023.00 approved. Parliament also approved the 2014 budget estimates of GHC93,988,899.00 made up of GHC11,214382.00 from Government of Ghana, GHC1,780,220.00 from IGF and GHC80,994,297.00 from development partners for the Ministry of Communications� strategies and policies. The committee, in its report, noted that release of funds for the Ministry�s activities in 2013 were delayed and thus made it difficult for the ministry to keep to timelines set for various projects and programmes. The committee also said the ministry, although a total of GH�735,288,999.00 was requested for its activities, only GHC93, 988,899.00 was approved which would mean a many of the planned programmes projects funded by the Government may not be undertaken. As part of its planned activities for the year 2014, the ministry, through its agencies, will support the development and maintenance of an educational portal for teaching and learning aids, and research. Some of the programmes and projects being undertaken by the ministry include digital terrestrial television network, postal and courier services, broadband development, mobile broadband, and deployment of tertiary institutions access network Programme.