Monrovia — Former presidential candidate Dr. Clarence Moniba has criticized the 2024 national budget passed by the Legislature and forwarded to the President of Liberia for approval, asserting that it does not reflect the aspirations of the Liberian people.
In a special statement on the current state of the country, Dr. Moniba claimed that the budget benefits only top government officials in the executive and legislative branches while keeping civil servant salaries unacceptably low.
"That is why when looking at the recently submitted budget, let us be straight forward to both the Executive and Legislative branches of Government - the budget does not reflect true transformation and is crafted as business as usual," said Dr. Moniba.
"Salaries are still too low for our teachers, doctors, military, police and civil servants, many of whom earn 200 dollars or less every month, while salaries, in comparison, are still too high for our lawmakers, who make 50 times more, at least eight thousand dollars per month. If this pay disparity continues, we will continue to have individuals begging in the corridors of the Capitol Building, instead of working on farms, factories and in classrooms."
The fiscal year 2024 national budget, as passed by the Legislature, totals US$738,859,827, with almost 93 percent projected for recurrent expenditure. Dr. Moniba warned that if this pattern continues, key sectors of the economy will remain undeveloped, and Liberia will remain stagnated.
"When government expenditure on itself consumes the biggest share of one of the smallest national budgets in the world, we as a nation will continue to remain beggars instead of leaders. The international community and foreign investors will never take us seriously when we spend more money on vehicles for government ministers than on ambulances for the sick. It is impossible to transform a country when our agricultural sector is allocated 5 million dollars and the budget for 103 lawmakers stands at 40 million dollars," Dr. Moniba said.
Continuing, he stated, "It is impossible to believe that we will one day send our children to modern classrooms and equip them for the future when the entire country has no more than three science labs for our students, but the travel and entertainment budget for government officials is in the millions. Right now, we Liberians must believe in a brighter future and hope for a better tomorrow."
The need to go further
On the establishment of a war and economic crimes court, Dr. Moniba called on the Boakai-Koung administration to go beyond the resolution and the executive order to successfully establish the court. He noted that throughout Liberia's history, the creation of laws has not been the problem, but their implementation has. He pointed out that no one has been jailed for corruption in the past 20 years. He warned that if the administration wants the war and economic crimes court to succeed, the government should amend and repeal statutes that have protected "war criminals and corrupt officials."
He called for the amendment of Section 17.1 of the Judiciary Law, which restricts the practice of law in Liberia to Liberians only. He said this is crucial because foreign lawyers will be essential in carrying out the war and economic crimes court, serving as judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and investigators.
Dr. Moniba also called for the repeal of the 2003 Act granting immunity for civil and criminal acts, emphasizing the need for justice for the hundreds of thousands of victims of the civil war.
"No individual or corporation charged with war and economic crimes, as indicated in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, should be immune from accountability to the Liberian people," he stated. Additionally, he called for an urgent amendment of Article 97 of the 1986 Constitution to ensure that the TRC recommendation for the prosecution of crimes dating back to 1979 complies with the constitution.
Currently, that recommendation conflicts with Article 97, which prohibits the prosecution of human rights abuses committed before the 1986 Constitution came into force.
Dr. Moniba comes from a political lineage established by his father, the late former Vice President of Liberia, Dr. Harry Fumba Moniba. After receiving education from prestigious universities in America, including Harvard, Dr. Moniba returned home and worked in the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, becoming the youngest cabinet minister at that time. In 2023, he ran for president on the Liberia National Union (LiNU) ticket, advocating for good governance and the rule of law.
"We can no longer afford to prioritize optics over substance--the typical grandstanding of a signed bill with no implementation. At some point in our nation's development, enough has to be enough, and hundreds of people must be held accountable for both war and economic crimes, including those in the Boakai-Koung government, as well as the Taylor, Sirleaf, and Weah administrations," he declared.
In his landmark address, Dr. Moniba outlined what he referred to as principles of national development for "A New Liberia" and urged the current administration to adopt them to bring about true transformation. He highlighted the importance of improving the lives of security officers, civil servants, farmers, small business owners, teachers, nurses, doctors, women, and traditional leaders.
In agriculture, Dr. Moniba criticized the lack of policies to ensure sufficient food production for Liberia's growing population of five million. He proposed turning each of the fifteen counties into modernized food production zones, with each county identifying a crop to grow and receiving the necessary resources and support. "No longer should we look to the Freeport for rice. We must utilize our God-given soil and the hardworking people of Liberia to feed ourselves," he said.
In education, Dr. Moniba argued that the government is failing the youth by depriving them of access to quality education. He called for mandatory technical and vocational training programs for all high school students nationwide. "No one in Liberia should graduate without two years of training in carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, masonry, catering, and other tangible skills," he asserted.
Regarding healthcare, Dr. Moniba stated, "No longer can the best medical option for Liberians be going to Ghana, India, or the US for treatment." He proposed building modern, well-equipped clinics and hospitals in each of the districts, and ensuring skill development and re-training for nurses and doctors. He emphasized the need to invest in making JFK and Tappita Hospitals some of the best-staffed and equipped in West Africa.
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On road infrastructure, Dr. Moniba criticized the current pace of development. "Our nation cannot pave only 20 miles per year and call it progress. This administration must set and achieve ambitious goals to connect all county capitals with paved roads within six years," he said.
For electricity, he called for the adoption of new solar power technology to provide access to electricity for all towns and villages. "We are living in the 21st century. Our students studying by candlelight and our mothers walking in dark, unsafe communities can no longer be the fate of the Liberian people. We must change their fate with ambitious goals of one million individualized solar kits for rural areas, while ensuring the construction of hydropower in other parts of Liberia to maintain reliability for those connected to LEC," he explained.
In the fight against corruption, he was unequivocal. "People must go to jail for stealing the Liberian people's money. Right now, when people steal, we call them honorable or chief, when we should be calling them rogues. True accountability means putting corrupt officials in South Beach prison, not the Capitol Building or a ministry. Working for the Liberian government must be a sacrifice and service to the nation, not a path to personal wealth," he stated.
