Monrovia — Senator Varney Sherman (UP-Grand Cape Mount County) has expressed fears that his bid for re-election could be rejected by citizens of the county due to failure by the Executive Branch of Government to remit to the county money paid by Western Cluster and other companies as social development funds.
According to the lawmaker, it has been more than three years the county is yet to realise any amount from the Executive Branch of Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, to the county for development purposes.
Even though he and many other senators voted in favour of a law that would remove counties' accounts from commercial banks, to the Central Bank, he on Tuesday, November 8, accused the Executive Branch of hiding the accounts of the county into the CBL where, according to him, it is difficult to access.
Sen. Varney Sherman said: "How do we explain to our people that the money the company gave you'll, the government has not given it and it is in one account at the Central Bank of Liberia. Our people will not vote for us because of this and we think the Executive Branch of Government is campaigning against us."
In response to Senator Sherman's claims, Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chie asked the Senator to remain patient until the budget period elapses.
The amount in question is in the tone of US$5 million for counties covering the Western belt, including Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu countries.
Many believe the Senator is only speaking out now because of 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections and accused him of doing nothing to address the situation when he had the opportunity to.
Sen. Sherman, who is a former Unity Party Chairman, has been an open supporter of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change-led administration since he was suspended by his own Unity Party for taking a decision against the party's interest in the impeachment proceedings that removed Associate Justice Kabineh Ja'neh from the Supreme Court Bench.
The Grand Cape County incumbent lawmaker is already challenged with an uphill battle of contesting in the county against his former party, which is prepared to put forth a candidate against him.
To add insults to injuries, Senator Sherman is sanctioned by the US Treasury Department with all his finances seized.
UP Suspension
In 2019, 20 executive committee members of the former ruling Unity Party voted unanimously to suspend eight of its senators, who went against the party's mandate not to impeach Supreme Court Associate Justice Kabineh Ja'neh.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The party came up with the decision after nearly five hours of closed-door deliberation of a one-item agenda at the party's Congotown headquarters.
Those suspended were Cllr. Varney H. Sherman - Cape Mount, Sen. Edward B. Dagoseh - Cape Mount, Sen. Morris Saytumah - Bomi, Sen. George Tengbeh - Lofa, Sen. Thomas Grupee - Nimba, Sen. Alphonso Gaye - Grand Gedeh, Sen. Matthew Jaye - River Gee and Sen. Milton Teahjay - Sinoe.
The Unity Party said in a statement after the meeting, "Members of the UP's NEC expressed grave concerns and disappointment over last Thursday's wrongful and politically motivated action to impeach Associate Justice Kabineh Ja'neh of the Supreme Court. The party is worried about the fate of calls for electoral reforms in the wake of interference with the independence of the Judiciary."
