GITEGA, June 29th (ABP) – The Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Audace Niyonzima, has announced the creation of more state schools with boarding facilities and canteens to further improve the living conditions of pupils.
On 21 June 2024, he was at the Senate Chamber in Gitega (in the center of the country), where he represented the Burundian government, to present to the senators the draft law establishing the general state budget for the financial year 2024/2025 and to inform them of some of the main aspects of the draft law.
Minister Niyonzima also pointed out that the same bill provides for distance allowances for doctors to encourage them to work in the interior of the country. That idea was well received by members of the upper house of parliament, who argued that it would ease the burden on patients in the interior of Burundi.
As for the budget in question, he said that total state expenditure would rise from BIF 3,780.95 billion in 2023/2024 to BIF 4,429.70 billion in 2024/2025, an increase of 17.15%.
Minister Niyonzima said the overall deficit would be BIF 449.60 billion compared to BIF 426.51 billion in 2023/2024. To cover that deficit, the state will have to rely on external financing of BIF 223.14 billion and net domestic financing of BIF 226.46 billion.
Niyonzima commented on the 5% excise tax recently imposed on hoteliers. He replied that those taxes would help to improve the image of the hotel sector by creating good access routes, he clarified by way of example.
With regard to the workers who are unemployed without having received their salaries because the companies have been closed, despite the fact that the Burundian state had a large stake in them, Minister Niyonzima said that a commission had been set up to look into the possibility of regularizing their situation. After analyzing and debating the bill, the senators adopted it unanimously.