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Monrovia—In the face of an ongoing leadership crisis at the 55th National Legislature, members of the Liberian Senate have unanimously concurred with their counterparts from the “Minority Bloc” of the House of Representatives to pass the National Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, amounting to US$880.07 million.
By: Obediah Johnson
The decision was made late on Friday, December 20, following a motion brought forward by Grand Kru County Senator Numene Bartekwa. Earlier on, the Majority Bloc in the House of Representatives had passed the budget at Monrovia City Hall.
Of the 30 Senators present, 19 voted in favor of the budget.
According to the Senate Committee on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget, over US$878 million had been earmarked in the draft budget. This included US$1.8 million for renovations of the Joint Chamber at the Capitol Building, which was severely damaged by a fire on December 18. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai ordering an immediate inquiry into the incident.
A discrepancy of slightly over US$2 million exists between the passed budget and a preliminary draft submitted by Senator Prince Moye. This prompted the formation of a conference committee to reconcile figures from both legislative bodies before arriving at the final budget.
Senator Moye stated that the budget had undergone thorough debate and modification, with an additional US$28 million added in the final version. The committee emphasized that reallocations in public administration and municipal allocations would be limited to US$6 million to avoid past controversies concerning budget alterations without legislative approval.
This budget passage followed a tumultuous period marked by allegations against embattled House Speaker Fonati Koffa, who has been accused of conflict of interest, corruption, and nepotism. Despite these allegations, Koffa has denied any wrongdoing.
The Majority Bloc elected Representative Richard Koon as their new Speaker, and the executive branch, recognizing this leadership change, submitted the draft budget to Koon’s bloc for approval.
Initially, the Senate had refused to collaborate with the House on the budget, citing the leadership crisis. However, after a controversial interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling by Justice Minister Oswald Tweh, the Senate recognized Koon’s leadership for legislative business.
The timely disbursement and management of the budget remain a key concern among Senators, particularly for Dabah Varpilah of Grand Cape Mount County.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, observers are keenly watching to see if President Boakai will sign the budget into law amidst the ongoing leadership issues in the House of Representatives. Additionally, a potential lawsuit from Koffa and his supporters challenging the budget’s passage cannot be dismissed, further heightening the stakes in this political crisis.
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