—As Discontent over Road Expenditure Heightens
IPNEWS: The ink of the U.S. Government distancing itself from knowledge over the churning National Road Fund controversy is not yet dry, yet disenchanted bombs for transparency and accountability continue to drop on Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah.
The National Road fund was established to defray the cost of road maintenance across the country. However, Samuel Tweah has informed Senators recently that due to ‘extreme prevailing economic conditions have the government to use US$25 million of the Road fund earmarked for the fund different government functionaries.
Earlier in cross-examination on the popular night-time online show (Spoon TV) on May 24, Finance and Development Minister, Samuel Tweah stated that he had received approval from some of Liberia’s development partners including the United States Government ( Liberia’s longest and biggest spending supporter) to divert US$25 million of US$50 million collected to pay salaries of civil servants in violation of chapter 2.2 of the Act establishing the National Road Fund.
Immediately following the statement by Samuel Tweah, the United States Government, the country’s main bilateral and development partner, swiftly came outdistancing itself from being a participant in the Minister’s ‘thinly veiled declaration’ of violating the law.
“The United States Government has never supported, or approved alternative uses of revenue meant for the National Roads Fund,” an Embassy Spokesperson said in a statement to frontpage Africa. “The U.S. Embassy, representing multiple U.S. agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development, continues to be a strong partner of Liberia in its development and journey to self-reliance.”
Now, Grand Bassa County, senior Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, has now called for tougher investigation into the so-called verbal authorization by the Legislature for the expenditure of US$ 25 Million.
Sen. Lawrence in her usual critical stands titled: “The Road Fund …. My Position”, argued that a recent statement by the Minister of Finance, Samuel Tweah, that the Legislature had given him verbal authorization to redirect the national road funds to other expenditure categories, is a violation and calls on members of the Legislature to act now before they are held later for ‘criminal label”.
The Grand Bassa Senator stated that the Legislature does not give verbal authorization, neither does the President Pro-tempore of the Senate or the Speaker have such authority to do so, as such action when legal, must be taken by majority votes in plenary supported by a resolution signed by the majority.
She said that authorization for the redirection of funds was never given because “verbal authorization” as claimed by the Minister of Finance does not qualify as legal authorization.
“There is no provision of the National Road Fund Act that grants the authority to the Road Fund Steering Committee or the Minister of Finance and Development Planning to redirect road funds for other purposes other than those provided in the Act; and there is no provision in the PFM Law of 2009 that supersedes the Road Fund Act.” Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence echoed.
The controversial Liberty Political leader CPP further stated that the agreement by Minister Samuel Tweah and some donors for the redirection of funds in the Road Fund does not legalize the process and reminded them that such action should pass through an operational process to legalize it – tabling of the request before the Plenary of both Houses and the subsequent signing of an appropriate resolution by a majority of the legislators.
“We do not think that even those donors that, in principle, supported the redirection of some of the funds expected the Minister of Finance to flagrantly violate the law by arrogating unto himself the authority and responsibility that resides only in the Legislature.” Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence reminded Minister Tweah.
Descending on some members of the Legislature, warned that those who give authorization for the utilization of the Road funds, Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, said that while it is now clear that approving such a transaction after the fact is wrong and may make legislators who approved such an illegal act ‘criminally liable’ tomorrow.
“We must revisit our actions to take responsibility for this matter by calling on Minister Tweah to give us a complete report on the expenditures and if the reports are proven to be correct, the Ministry must be instructed to replenish the road funds from the Government revenue in the next budget while the consequences of taking such unilateral actions are being considered. “
“In addition to this, we look forward to furthering the investigation into the road funds collection process including the millions that are outstanding, particularly the status of the receivables that the General Auditing Commission (GAC) was unable to confirm during their audit of the Road Fund.”
“While the illegal redirection of funds is of serious and urgent concern, the Liberian Legislature must also be seized of the less than transparent process by which road maintenance contracts are awarded under the Road Fund. We deserve a complete report that will delineate the procurement process followed for each contract awarded, the value of money achieved during the execution of the contract, and the legal status of the contractors including their beneficial owners.” Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, concludes.
