MPs Raise Concern Over Budget Transfer to Human Rights Commission

May 31 , 2020

Lawmakers raised concerns over the new proposed procedure that allows the deposit of the entire budget of the Human Rights Commission with a month of the parliament legislating the federal budget. The existing law states that the Commission's budget should be deposited at the National Bank of Ethiopia, or at another bank designated by the NBE, and shall be utilised in accordance with financial regulations of the government for implementing the Commission's objectives. The newly drafted establishment proclamation of the Commission proposed that the money shall be transferred to the Commission's account within a month after the federal budget is approved by the parliament. The draft was submitted during the session that was held at the end of last week in the presence of 298 members. However, some MPs doubt the country can afford to inject any kind of money after the economic devastation caused by the pandemic. The draft has also restructured the nominations of the committee members by adding new members from the National Election Board of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Academy of Science, civil society organisations, and another member to be elected by the joint agreement of opposition parties and given a seat in the House.