The Ministry of Planning and Economics Affairs (PLEA), is "under oxygen struggling for survival" said one lawmaker when the Joint Budget Committee unanimously agreed yesterday to disqualified and/or denied the Ministry of its budgetary dividend for been without a Minister. Finance Minister Amara Konneh who is responsible for said Ministry could not speak in defense of the Ministry because he was apparently in fear to be hit with questions that he is serving in dual capacities.

Some time ago, the honorable Liberian Senate communicated with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to either appoint a Minister of the Ministry and/or legislatively dissolve it for the purpose of merging it with the Ministry of Finance as been proposed.

Members of the Senate's Planning Committee underscored that as directed by Madam Sirleaf to have Finance Minister acts as Planning Minister, was an error as such portfolio has never been in history of the Country's government arrangement. The Senate Communication to President Ellen Johnson dated August 2, 20012 states in part: "...that Minister Amara Konneh service in such dual capacities amounts to the usurpation of functions." In view of this, the Honorable Senate called on the President to "stop" Minister Konneh from posing as Minister of two Ministries.

At the 2012-2013 budget hearing continues in the Joint Chamber, Deputy Minister, Dr. Marcus Dahn attempted taking the floor before the Committee probably in an attempt to defense the Ministry but was denied to speak on grounds that he is not the Minister. The Committee however stated that it will not accommodate the Ministry of Planning into the budget hearing until the President responds to the Senate's communication.

The Ministry of Finance stated in its 2012-2913 fiscal notes that "the Ministry of Planning expenditures and budget by economic classification is proposed at US$15,389,996, while the expenditures and budget allocations by policy areas is put at US$386996, a variance of US$10,000,000.