IPNEWS: Amidst claims and counter claims that 20 million was secretly added to the draft national budget signifying gross tampering and bridge of the Public Financial Management laws of Liberia, acting Finance and Development Planning Minister Anthony Myers has dismissed recent claims by host of Senators, including Gbarpolu and Margibi counties Senators of budget alterations sparking a call for an impartial investigation by House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa.
Addressing the media this week, Minister Myers emphasized that the Ministry of Finance remains unshaken by these claims, which he insists are not based on facts.
“Definitely, it has claimed our attention, but it hasn’t caused any unnecessary panic among us because, just as you mentioned, they are all claims. Claims always have to be verified,” Minister Myers stated.
He further added, “From our perspective, from what we know, nothing of such happened—not in the way that is being portrayed out there in the public. For us, this is nothing new; the Ministry of Finance and other institutions always come under these kinds of suspicions that are not based on facts.”
His comments come in the wake of allegations surrounding potential alterations to the approved 2024 budget. Both chambers of Liberia’s 55th Legislature—the House of Representatives and the Senate—are gearing up to investigate these concerns.
The initial budget, approved in April 2024 by the House of Representatives, stood at US$738,859,827, reflecting a 6.7% increase from the Executive’s proposed US$692 million. However, discrepancies amounting to at least US$20 million have since raised alarms among lawmakers.
Prominent voices in the legislature, including Rep. Clarence Gahr, Senators Amara Konneh (Gbarpolu), and Nathaniel McGill (Margibi), have expressed their concerns over the alleged budget tampering.
Speaker J. Fonati Koffa om Friday,.August 9, 2024, announced the formation of a joint committee with the Senate to thoroughly investigate the matter.
When asked about the possibility of being summoned by the House of Representatives, Minister Myers welcomed the idea of a legislative probe. “For us, that is the best alternative. That is the way government processes are conducted,” he remarked, stressing the importance of formal inquiries and responses before making public accusations.
He reiterated that the Ministry has not received any formal citation or request to identify areas of alleged alteration.
Minister Myers also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to transparency, noting that any claims of manipulation must be substantiated with concrete evidence.
He pointed out that the Ministry has often been accused of unresponsiveness due to its refusal to provide resources for unbudgeted requests, emphasizing that the Ministry strictly adheres to appropriate processes when sourcing funds.
Regarding the ongoing nationwide consultations on the national development agenda, Minister Myers confirmed that these consultations, led by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and its partners, are nearing completion.
He added that the consultations at the sub-national level are expected to conclude by August 15, 2024.
It may be recalled, last week, amidst claims and counter claims of alteration of the recently passed national budget for fiscal 2024, House Speaker Cllr. Johnathan Fonati Koffa, vowed to ensure a thorough investigation to establish whether or not there was any alteration into the national budget amounting to 20 million.
Speaker Koffa stated that the investigation would constitute a joint committee of both Houses, comprising the Senate & House of Representative for a transparent and fair outcome.
“ I will be asking the Leadership of the House of Representatives for the authority to appoint a Joint Committee with the Senate for a thorough investigation. We must not only be transparent; we must be perceived to be transparent.” Speaker Koffa stated.
Speaker Koffa statement comes on the back of a recent revelation by former Finance and Development Minister, Amara Konneh alleging that at least 20 million USD was shifted in the budget without Legislative approval.
Immediately after the revelation, several lawmakers including Margibi County Senator, Nathaniel McGill, heightened the debate over stickering alteration of 20 Million of the national budget.
Senator Nathaniel McGill called on members of the opposition 𝖢𝖣𝖢 𝖫𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗌𝗅𝖺𝗍ive caucus not to proceed with the debate of the national budget until allegations surrounding the increment of 20 million into the 2024 national budget were thoroughly investigated.
Senator McGill emphasized that budget manipulation is a serious crime, adding that accountability must be held at all levels.
The CDC Legislative 𝖢𝖺𝗎𝖼𝗎𝗌 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗇 and Margibi County Senator in a communication to House 𝖲𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋, 𝖣𝖾𝗉𝗎𝗍𝗒 𝖲𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖢𝖣𝖢 𝖫𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗌𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖢𝖺𝗎𝖼𝗎𝗌 call on them 𝗇𝗈𝗍 to 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖼𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝖻𝗎𝖽𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝖻𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗌, 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝗋 2025 𝖻𝗎𝖽𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 $20 𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗅 𝗆𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 2024 𝖻𝗎𝖽𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗀𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝖽𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽.
“𝖡𝗎𝖽𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗉𝗎𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖻𝗂𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝖽 𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗅𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗌.” Senator Nathaniel McGill stressed.
Senator Amara Konneh, Chairman of the Public Accounts, Expenditure, and Audit Committee of the Liberian Senate, who previously revealed the alteration, in a podcast Firday, August 9, 2024, demanded accountability into the alteration of the national budget following the absence of key government institutions from a crucial hearing.
His remarks were in response to the failure of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Ministry of Health to attend the hearing on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. The session was part of the ongoing General Auditing Commission (GAC) compliance audit reports public accounts hearings.
Speaking at the ongoing hearings, Senator Konneh emphasized the necessity of full participation and accountability from all summoned institutions. “Hold yourself accountable if you don’t come to defend yourself,” he declared, highlighting the urgency for institutions to actively engage in the audit process and address any issues raised in the reports.
The August 7 hearing focused on the performance audit report of the Regulation of River Sand Mining Activities in Liberia for the period from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2021. The absence of key ministries during this session has raised concerns about their commitment to the audit process.
The Gbarpolu County Senator underscored the importance of adhering to legal audit procedures and stressed that non-compliance could have serious consequences. “We want to send a message that we need to coordinate as much as possible so that we follow the law on audits,” he said.
He warned that the failure of institutions to appear for their hearings might result in audit reports being forwarded directly to the executive branch without their input. “If you don’t come here and defend yourself or provide additional clarity, the committee will have no other choice but to take the reports in their totality and then forward them to the executive branch for action,” Konneh added.
The public accounts hearings are set to continue on Monday, August 12, 2024, with upcoming sessions addressing reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Health, and the National Road Fund.
Konneh stressed that these hearings are essential for giving auditors due process to review management responses and any new information. “It will require some time and patience so that we give auditors due process to confirm what they have written as management responses or if there is new information,” he explained.
The Liberian Senate Public Accounts Committee Chair also acknowledged the critical role of civil society and the public in maintaining transparency throughout the audit process. “The law calls for this,” he affirmed. He reiterated that the committee aims to finalize and submit recommendations by the end of August, reinforcing the importance of institutional accountability and compliance with audit protocols.
According to Konneh, this process is vital for ensuring that government institutions meet their obligations and address any discrepancies identified in the audits.
