At the time, Liberians lacked public transportation and good roads; the Liberian Government spent over US$9.2 million on just 103 lawmakers' vehicles every six years. This amount excludes gasoline and servicing fees.
Unlike other ministries and agencies, which must return government-owned vehicles after their tenures, lawmakers automatically own vehicles purchased for their official use after six years.
When a lawmaker is retained during the next election cycle, he or she is again entitled to two new vehicles for the next six years, while public transportation remains a non-priority as ordinary citizens rely on commercial motorcycles and tricycles to commute.
Through the Legislature, US$45,000 is allotted for each of the 103 lawmakers to purchase expensive new vehicles every three years, deriving a total of US$90,000 for each lawmaker's vehicles every six years.
When spread over the 103 lawmakers (the total of both Houses combined) on Capitol Hill, the Liberian government spends a whopping US$9,270,000 every six years on lawmakers' vehicles in an economy with bad roads and a lack of a viable public transport system.
The state-run National Transit Authority (NTA) lies derelict, with no effort from lawmakers to make public transport a priority, even after being pillaged by management from the George Weah regime.
The Scene at the Capitol Building on Tuesday
The scene at the Capitol on Tuesday when Representatives purported to protest for new vehicles clearly demonstrates how Liberian lawmakers are concerned just about themselves and not those they claim to represent on Capitol Hill.
Civil servants, private sector workers, and businesspeople struggle daily with transport. Most of the time, ordinary commuters fight for vehicles or tricycles, while lawmakers change expensive vehicles every three years.
The transportation plights of ordinary Liberians have been made worse by the lack of sufficient private and public buses to convey commuters to their destinations, especially as police restrict the movement of commercial motorbikes and tricycles.
Amid the vehicle drama on Capitol Hill, the NewDawn newspaper has been informed that protesting lawmakers from the House of Representatives are allegedly demanding that they receive their money in cash rather than sending it to a vendor, as they have been.
Their demand for a cash payment through their accounts, sources say, is in breach of the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) process, which qualifies vendors.
On Tuesday this week, members of the House of Representatives were seen commuting to work using tricycles as an attempt to pressure the Executive Branch to release their US$45k for each of them to purchase new vehicles.
Their protests follow speculations that members of the Senate had already received their portion of the 45k each.
However, amid the claims that Senators have received their vehicles, Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe and Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson told the NewDawn on Wednesday, July 3, that members of the Senate have yet to receive any money for cars.
Sen. Snowe: "I am not in the country, but we haven't gotten any money for car."
Sen. Johnson: "Regarding the car issue, we have not received any vehicle yet. Usually, we fill in forms and when the money comes in, the Pre-temp will select the vendor to supply the vehicles. So, right now, we are yet to receive any car.".
In the case of the members of the House of Representatives, this paper learned that there is a vendor responsible for the purchase of vehicles, but some House members are said to be allegedly striking an alternative deal with the vendor to give them the cash instead of the vehicles with an interest rate.
Through the Legislature, US$45,000 is allotted for each of the 73 members of the House of Representatives to purchase new vehicles every three years.
Once purchased, the vehicles are not returned by the lawmakers when they leave the Legislature after serving their terms.
As long their constituencies continue to re-elect them, each lawmaker is entitled to a new vehicle for US$45,000 every three years.
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On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, several lawmakers arrived at the Capitol via tricycles to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning's (MFDP's) alleged failure to disburse funds for their new vehicles.
However, the Chairperson on Rules, Orders, and Administration at the House of Representatives, J. Marvin Cole, dismissed the claim that lawmakers at the lower House were opting for cash. He told this paper that there have been some issues from the MFDP's side.
According to him, the Finance Ministry has promised that the House of Representatives will get its vehicles by the end of July.
Rep. Cole: "We have not received it because the Ministry of Finance Development Planning has budgetary constraints. But they promised to ensure we have our vehicles by the end of July."
The Senate Chairman on Rules, Order and Administration, Sen Jonathan Sorgbe, could not return a call after press time despite promising to return same.-Edited by Othello B. Garblah
