The National Budget Framework Paper is the means by which the Government makes known its priorities to the Parliament. The National Budget Framework Paper for the upcoming financial year is presented to Parliament by 31st December and comprises the estimates of revenue and expenditure to cover Government operations during that year. The official commencement of the process to prepare the framework paper takes place after the Ministry of Finance issues instructions to all accounting officers in form of “1st Budget Call Circular”, which includes:
• The indicative resource envelope and sector expenditure ceilings for the upcoming financial year and in the Medium Term.
• The budget strategy and priorities for the upcoming financial year
• Key policy and administrative guidelines for preparation of the sector budget framework papers and budget estimates for the upcoming financial year and the medium term.
• A request to all Chairpersons of the Sector Working Groups to convene sector meetings to prepare and submit the Sector Budget Framework Papers for the upcoming financial year
• A budget calendar which sets out the time frame in respect of preparation and submission of the budget framework paper (BFP)
• Indicative Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period allocations.
LGs also prepare their own BFPs for approval by their respective Councils. To this end, DFOs prepare information that may be required to support the preparation of the national BFP, as well as the district level BFP.
Each accounting officer, usually representing a sector, or a ministry of government, (and for LGs, a district) in consultation with the relevant stakeholders, prepare a BFP for the vote (or several related votes) taking into consideration balanced development, gender and equity responsiveness, and submit the BFP to the Secretary to the Treasury. Within each ministry, there are Sector Working Groups which ensure synergy in the outcomes of votes and institutions with common sector objectives.
Instruction 361: FMIs shall make sure that preparation of their input into the respective Sector BFP, and eventually the National BFP is done well in advance to avoid hurried and thus inadequate considerations of their budgetary needs. The National Forestry Consultative Forum is a good place to bring together the forestry input from the different FMIs and their associates in the private sector and CSOs.