The Ethiopian government has spent over 11 billion birr reserve budget for the 2014 Ethiopian budget year due to the war in northern Ethiopia.
The budget for irrigation development is also said to have been spent on war-related expenses.
The money raised for the reserve budget and the maintenance of the irrigation dam is said to have been used to cover the daily expenses of the displaced people and the emergency expenses of various offices.
The additional 122 billion birr approved by the House of Representatives today will be used to replace the government’s emergency budget and cover various expenses.
Out of the approved 122 billion birr budget, 90 billion birr has been earmarked for the Ministry of Defense, 8 billion birr for the procurement of wheat and nutritional food, 8 billion birr for the emergency of the government, and 106 billion birr for the reserve budget.
In addition, 2 billion birr for the restoration of 4 irrigation dams, 9 billion birr for the war, and 9 billion birr for the reconstruction of war-damaged infrastructure.
Assistant Minister of State for Information, Tesfaye Beljige, told the House that a domestic loan would cover the additional budget.
The House of Peoples’ Representatives, which convened its 3rd regular session today, approved the additional budget with nine votes in favor and seven abstentions.
