IPNEWS: Outspoken Pentecostal Prelate, Bishop Kortu Brown is calling for accountability of persons found responsible for recent alteration of the approved 2024 National Budget.
Bishop Brown stated that recent revelation by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Liberia that the 2024 approved budget was altered has shocked the people of Liberia, especially without the knowledge of the general body which passed the budget is worrisome.
The Pentecostal prelate said this action by a few unnamed persons to altered the approved national budget is a grave allegation and must be investigated to it logical conclusion.
Last Tuesday, September 4th, the Plenary of the House of Representatives endorsed a report from a specialized committee confirming unauthorized alterations to Liberia’s 2024 national budget which has raised eyebrows in every corner of the country.
“It was astonishing to have learned of House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa constituting a specialized committee to probe the allegations of budget tampering on August 17, 2024.
Why will the lawmakers approve a budget, set it in motion for execution and begin changing figures in the so-called national envelope without a formal review process mandated by the body? It speaks negatively of the country and its people. If this is true, then it’s like a daylight robbery.”
“The House of Representatives initiated investigation into allegations of budget tampering started when a member of that body, Margibi County Representative Clarence Garh raised some concerns. We commend him for this action to help promote accountability in our national accountancy. However, we must go behind just “investigating” this issue. We must get to the roots of it. This is share taking the people for granted.” Bishop Brown stated.
In recent times, there have concerns in many quarters as to what will come out of this embarrassing development of budget alteration, however, the House of Representative last week made a decision to halt any further budgetary reviews but didn’t point to the lawmakers or people who altered the budget and/or recommend any penalties for such people who might be found guilty of such fiscal indiscipline and devilish acts.
“Liberians deserve to know who tampered with the 2024 budget and for what reasons? It is being reported in the media that the special committee’s investigation revealed that the motion passed by the plenary to have budget performance reports submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had been altered. Who altered it? If the Legislature doesn’t properly investigate this unfortunate report and make people to account for their actions, it might just take away from ordinary Liberians whatever little confidence there’s left of the Legislature.”
“I therefore recommend that the Legislature set-up a joint committee of the houses of representatives and senate to thoroughly investigate this saga, establish the facts and take corrective measures to guide against future occurrence President Boakai”
“I believe that even President Boakai should be concerned about this because it erodes public confidence in the government. It makes the government look like a “play, play government”. This is bad for him because it could make it difficult for ordinary people to believe what the government says and to accompany it. That’s what made the initial fight against Ebola difficult in 2014. There was a trust deficit. The people didn’t believe the government. The same kind of scenario was observed for former President Charles Taylor when ex-LURD attacked the northern borders in 1999/2000. People didn’t believe the government’s story provoking the president to threaten to take journalists by force to Lofa to see the fighting for themselves”
“There are already too many problems lingering in the country. From the yellow machines saga to buses from Ghana to the huge salaries for SOEs amid poverty, lack of money for people to send their children to school, and to the bread and better issues, amongst others. The people who altered the 2024 national budget must be held to account!” Bishop Kortu Brown maintained.
BISHOP KORTU K. BROWN, is a minister of the Gospel, Pastor, New Water in the Desert Assembly, Former President, Interreligious Council of Liberia, President, Liberia Council of Churches and Bishop of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International.
It may be recalled, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, has announced the suspension of the review process for the draft recast budget. This decision comes amid ongoing investigations into alleged alterations in the 2024 National Budget.
During an extraordinary session held on Thursday, August 29, 2024, Speaker Koffa emphasized that the suspension would remain in place until the Special Investigative Committee, led by Representative Robert Wongbe, completes its inquiry and presents its findings. He underscored that this decision aligns with the House’s dedication to maintaining transparency and accountability within Liberia’s governance system.
“The scrutiny of the budget is a crucial process, and it is our responsibility to ensure that it is conducted with the utmost integrity and transparency,” Speaker Koffa stated. “We will not proceed with any budget scrutiny until Wongbe’s Special Investigative Committee completes its investigation and delivers its findings.”
The extraordinary session that began on August 29 is scheduled to continue until September 19, 2024. During his address, Speaker Koffa also commended his fellow Representatives for their commitment to return to work under challenging circumstances, including working without pay.
“The dedication shown by my fellow Representatives in returning to work without compensation is evidence of their commitment to the welfare of our nation. This is a collective effort to ensure that we fulfill our duties in the best interest of Liberia,” Speaker Koffa added.
A week earlier, in a move underscoring the critical need for transparency in governance, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, on Friday, August 9, 2024, announced his intention to seek authorization from the leadership of the House to form a Joint Committee with the Senate. This committee will be tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into allegations of unauthorized alterations to the 2024 Fiscal Budget.
Speaker Koffa, emphasizing the importance of openness and accountability, stated, “We shouldn’t only be perceived as transparent; we must be transparent and transparent to the letter, thus promoting open governance.” The proposed joint committee is expected to thoroughly examine these serious allegations and ensure that any discrepancies in the budget are addressed with integrity and clarity.
The call for investigation follows accusations from members of the National Legislature, who claimed that officials within the Executive branch unilaterally made changes to the 2024 national budget after it had been approved by the Legislature. Lawmakers assert that the figures printed in official handbills differed from those enacted by the Legislature, raising concerns over possible illegal alterations. Among the most serious allegations is that the Executive illegally redirected US$20 million from the approved budget, leading to a 6.9% reduction in appropriations for public administration, a 0.5% cut in health funding, and a 2.1% decrease in allocations for transparency and accountability sectors. These cuts, according to legislators, could severely impact the government’s ability to pay wages for civil servants and volunteer health workers across the country.
The Senate’s Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Mohammed Konneh, has already taken a strong stance on the issue, describing the alleged actions by the Executive as forgery. The Committee has recommended that those involved be referred to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution. Additionally, the Committee has called for the summoning of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning to explain each amendment, in accordance with the Public Financial Management (PFM) law. The lawmakers argue that if these adjustments were indeed made without the Senate’s knowledge, they represent a significant breach of the separation of powers as outlined in the Liberian Constitution.
Speaker Koffa’s decision to push for the formation of a Joint House and Senate Committee has been met with broad support, particularly from members of the Senate. Senator Amara Konneh welcomed the initiative, seeing it as a positive step towards maintaining good governance. “Speaker Koffa’s decision to establish a joint committee to investigate the reported budget modifications following its enactment is a positive step in good governance. It reminds us of Baron de Montesquieu’s words: ‘The decline of every government starts with the erosion of the principles on which it was built.’ In this case, the Liberian people voted for this government on the principles of good governance, which begins with a credible budget. They deserve to know if the budget, their money, is credible,” Senator Konneh observed.
Senator Nathaniel F. McGill of Margibi County, who also serves as the Chairman of the Legislative Caucus of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), has echoed similar sentiments. He has urged members of the CDC Legislative Caucus to halt all budget-related discussions until the allegations surrounding the US$20 million budget adjustment are fully investigated and addressed. “As Chairman of the CDC Legislative Caucus, I am calling on the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and all members of the CDC Legislative Caucus to not proceed with any budget debates, whether the recast or 2025 budgets, until the allegations surrounding the US$20 million illegal movement in the 2024 budget are thoroughly investigated and addressed,” Senator McGill declared, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The ongoing controversy over the alleged budget alterations has cast a shadow over the current administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The formation of a Joint Committee, if approved, will be a critical step in restoring public trust and ensuring that the principles of good governance are upheld. As the investigation progresses, the Liberian people, as well as the international community, will be watching closely to see how the government addresses these serious concerns and whether the principles of separation of powers and accountability are respected.
