Monrovia — The Plenary of the Liberia Senate has unanimously concurred with the House of Representatives over the passage of the National Budget for Fiscal Year 2024, with a caveat to heads of government ministries, agencies, state owned enterprises and corporations to fully execute plans and programs funded from the budget for the benefit of the nation and its people.
The Senators also warned public officials against spending or financing projects outside of the national budget.
It can be recalled that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, through Finance and Development Planning Minister Boima Kamara submitted a draft budget of US$692,408,827 dollars to the National Legislature for passage into law in keeping with the 1986 Liberian Constitution.
But the Senators took the decision to pass the budget in the tone of US$738, 859, 827.00 during extra sitting on Tuesday, April 30 following a report from its Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget.
The committee is headed by Bong County Senator Prince Kermue Moye.
Speaking during a debate on the committee's report, Senator Moye disclosed that the budget scrutiny process covers revenue, expenditure and in-depth analysis of figures and presentations of those who appeared for the budget hearings.
He disclosed that a new revenue envelope of US$46,451,000.00 was discovered by the joint budget committee during scrutiny.
He said a current domestic debt obligation, principle and interest payment of over US$69million was also proposed by the executive.
However, Senator Moye recalled that having considered the pressing development needs of the country; the Legislature sometimes ago took a decision to call for the vetting of all public debts before instructions for payments can be made.
He disclosed that in keeping with this, members of the budget committee took a decision to adjust the principle payment and allow the interest on debt to be paid until those actions proposed by the legislature are considered.
As a result of this, Senator Moye added that payment of domestic debts now stands at US$45,700,000.00
"While we were in the negotiation, we noticed that once we are not paying on the principles, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning needed to have conversation with the Bankers Association that has almost 90% of this principle payment so that there could be a roll over plan since indeed, the Legislature took a decision to vet all public domestic debts. That roll over plan charges was calculated and the sum is US$3M."
Senator Moye said shifting of fund was also done by members of the committee to impact various agencies including the National Security Agency (NSA), Assets Recovery, National Human Rights Commission, and Reclassification of water lines, amongst others.
He noted that the net fiscal space created as a result of the decisions taken by members of the committee accumulated to the amount of US$96,101,000.
He said following the shifting of the amount and the identification of additional revenue in the national budget, the committee also took a decision to re-appropriate the shifted funding along with the additional one identified.
Senator Moye pointed out that many sectors, including agencies and ministries allocations were increased to address particular issues.
"In the draft budget, we saw US$2279, 188,809 in the public administration sector. Based on the fiscal measures that were considered that sector got impacted negatively by US$19,025, 000M. So the net that is going to be in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for the public administration sector is going to be US$260,163,829.
He said the US$26, 389,756.00 for municipal government in the draft budget was increased by additional US$7,426,000.
"Transparency and Accountability sector came in the draft budget at US$21,234, 624. When the adjustment was made, an additional of US$12, 300,000 was added with that taking it to US$, 79, 901, 200.
Senator Moye furthered that the amount of US$96,162, 679.00 was allocated for the security and rule of law sector of the country by the executive.
But during the scrutiny of the draft fiscal envelope of Liberia by the committee, he furthered that, the amount was increased by US$12, 300,000.00, making the sector to currently has a total of US$108, 462, 679.
"The Health Sector came at US$75, 501,200. During the discussion, an additional of US$4.4M was added to that sector taking it to US$79, 901, 200. Than we have Social Development Service Sector which came at US$12,328, 139. During the deliberation, the amount of US$15,450,000 was added to that sector. After that addition, we had another US$109,207, 48."
For the energy and environment sector, the executive proposed the amount of US$18, 265, 290. But a total of additional US$3, 250,000 was added by the committee.
The amount of US$5,624, 922 was also proposed by the executive for the agriculture sector. But the agency budget was increased by the committee to US$9, 024, 922.
"Infrastructure and basic services came at US$44,697, 550. During the discussion US$8, 850,000 was added to that sector taking it to US$53,447, 550. Finally we have industry and commerce that came at US$6,668, 357.00. at the conclusion of the hearing and decision made, US$1.6M was added to that sector taking it to US$8, 258, 357.00."
Speaking further, Senator Moye pointed out that the creation of a new fiscal space of US$95M, allocations were also made to key sectors.
He reported that an addition of US$3.4M was given to the health sector to increase budgetary allotments to various public hospitals and to also attend to other "health engagements" in the country.
He said the Legislature has also embarked on the rehabilitation of the C. H. Rennie Hospital in Margibi County by appropriating the amount of US$600,000 as an initial allocation.
Under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Senator Moye further reported that US$2M was allocated for the resumption of the Beaches and Waterways Project to provide temporary employment for young people in the country, while additional US$2M was appropriated for rehabilitation of at-risk youths.
He stressed that the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and a TVET program, as well as the national county sports meet and the national team will also be considered in the full US$4.4M appropriated.
"For education, US$5M will go towards the recruitment of volunteer teachers across the country after vetting the payroll to ensure that ghosts are out and volunteer teachers qualified and registered in the directory of the Ministry of Education will now be enrolled."
Senator Moye emphasized that the amount of US3.4M has been set aside in the budget to resume all agricultural programs of the country.
To meet up with international standards, he disclosed that the amount of US$7.5M has been appropriated to help address challenges at various airports in the country.
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He said in an attempt to promote cleanliness in the cities of Monrovia and Paynesville, both corporations will receive the amount of US$1.5M each, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs will receive US$275,000 to the capital cities of major counties in Liberia.
According to the Bong County lawmaker, the National Disaster Management Agency's allocation has been increased to US$2M to help address disastrous incidents in Liberia, while the Liberia National Fire Service will receive the amount of US$3M to train fire fighters, procure fire trucks and other equipment to curb the growing wave of fire disasters across the country.
Senator Moye maintained that the amount of US$6.1M was also allotted in the budget to address the unstable supply of electricity.
"As you may be aware some of the institutions during the budget hearings told the Legislature that in the past budget, monies that were placed and turned out to be an outturn were not received by some of those institutions. In an attempt to increase the budget of some of these institutions, we decided to address some of them one by one."
During the debate on the budget, many of the Senators hailed the committee for a job well done.
They, however, expressed concern over the full implementation of the budget by those heading the various entities to address the challenges confronting their constituents.
They sounded a caveat to members of the executive to avoid using the budget as a tool to enrich themselves to the detriment of the Liberian people.
They, however, vowed to step up their oversight responsibilities through their respective committees in checkmating those implementing the budget to guarantee a win-win situation for all.
