Members of the largest opposition party in Angola clarified the reasons for voting against the OGE, complaining about the lack of rigor in the debates on the budget plan. UNITA also criticizes the “false” consultation of social partners.
The weaknesses of the MPLA, a party in power in Angola, are not based only on the design of social policies and programs, but also on the elaboration of the General State Budget (OGE) and its execution. This is what the president of the parliamentary group of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) says. According to Liberty Chiyaka, over the years, the execution reports of the General State Budgets have frequently presented a budget execution deficit.
According to UNITA, the funds for the OGE, which are already insufficient for the country, are not fully spent on what is reported. Chiyaka lists the reasons: “Lack of careful, serious and responsible supervision. Inspection before, during and after execution. Low qualification of budget executing officials in budget units. Institutional corruption, de-budgeting, that is, execution of expenses not foreseen in the OGE. ”
Budgetary plan for “promoting corruption”
The different State General Budgets have not been able to solve the major problems that afflict citizens, according to the MPLA’s main opponent, who also claims that the budget plan has served as a mechanism to promote corruption. These are some of the reasons that have led UNITA to vote against the OGE since 1992, says the leader of the deputies of the “black cock”.
“In the present conditions, our vote against is an expression of the Angolan people’s indignation. It is not simply UNITA’s will or interest. It is the expression of the revolt of the Angolan people. We cannot vote on a budget in these conditions ”, justifies Liberty Chiyaka.
“We should prioritize education. Through education, we are promoting a developed, modern country. We should capitalize on health. We should invest in agriculture. We should also capitalize on environmental protection, in fact, the future of humanity is the green economy ”, warned the politician.
Social partners should be consulted
The Angolan deputy also said that the contributions of the opposition and civil society to the OGE have been ignored by the Government and the parliamentary majority. The “little brothers” defend that the social partners of the State should be consulted before the elaboration of the OGE and not during the discussions in the Parliament.
“It is discussed for two weeks, very beautiful statements are made, but strictly speaking, the budget does not bring about fundamental changes. The budget takes more than three months to prepare. It is not two weeks that the deputies are going to debate in-depth, with patriotic truth, such a voluminous document. That exercise is futile. UNITA advocates that the social partners be heard, but with truth, with sensitivity and with an open mind of the government before the proposal is consolidated ”, he appealed.
Funds allocated to the various sub-sectors of the social sector fall far short of the real national needs and that recommended by regional and global institutions, of which Angola is a full member, says UNITA.
The Proposed Law on the State Budget (OGE) 2021 was approved this Monday (14.12), with 141 votes in favor of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA). The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), the Wide Convergence of Salvation of Angola – Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE) and independent deputies totaled 48 votes against. 50% of the OGE will be used to pay the public debt.
