Capitol Hill — House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa has opposed direct budget funding to lawmakers for implementing legislative projects within their respective electoral districts.
On Thursday, following the House Ways, Means, and Finance Committee's report, Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah allowed nearly all lawmakers in session to provide input during the budget deliberations.
While lawmakers praised the Committee for discovering additional revenue, they also called for a proper allocation of the budget to have a tangible impact on their districts. They advocated for direct budgetary support to undertake projects within their districts.
Representative Edward Papee Flomo (District #13, Montserrado County) emphasized that the funds should go directly to lawmakers instead of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE). He stated: "We are 103 lawmakers. For LACE to implement all of the projects, they will face difficulties. Most of us here will not benefit from LACE. I agree with Rep. Musa Bility (District #7, Nimba County) that the money should come directly to lawmakers for us to implement our projects, subject to audit."
However, Speaker Koffa disagreed, stating that direct budgetary support for legislative projects was not feasible. He argued, "A system through LACE that ensures accountability in spending the people's dollars on projects is better than giving money directly to lawmakers who are not accountants or construction engineers."
The Speaker proposed giving the funds to LACE to execute projects designated by lawmakers in their districts. This, he said, will enable the lawmakers exercise their oversight responsibility to ensure the project is successfully implemented and money is accounted for through audits.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In the 54th Legislature, lawmakers previously requested direct funding for legislative projects within their constituencies. Each lawmaker received US$30,000 twice, totaling US$60,000, for such projects. However, this controversial disbursement backfired, drawing heavy criticism from the public. Many constituents complained that their lawmakers did not execute any projects within their districts, and the funds were not properly accounted for.
Observers says Speaker Koffa is aiming to prevent a repeat of this situation by openly opposing the idea of direct budget allocation to lawmakers beyond their salaries and allowances.
Last week, the Joint Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance of the 55th Legislature discovered an additional $51.451 million in revenue for fiscal year 2024, raising the total draft budget to $743.859 million. This discovery was made during the budget scrutiny, as mandated by Liberia's Public Financial Law.
Speaker Koffa commended the Committee for scrutinizing the budget, focusing on healthcare and education. He stated, "We congratulate the Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance for finding an additional US$51 million. We concentrated this budget on healthcare and education. We must address issues like volunteer teachers and healthcare workers and ensure that clinics meeting Ministry of Health standards receive funding while those needing upgrades are supported to meet these standards."
