Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Speaker of the 55th Legislature, has termed as misinformation and falsehood accusations made by Rep. Taa Wongbe of Nimba County District #9 and chairman of the House's Foreign Affairs Committee, that he (Speaker) has connived with the Executive branch, is lackadaisical over seeking benefits for members of the Lower House and has colluded with the Executive against the interests of the Liberian people. Wongbe also alleged that the Speaker has assured the Executive of a free pass at the Legislature.
In a detailed clarification in a Facebook post, Speaker Koffa categorically addressed the allegations, explaining that there had been a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of his stances on national issues, especially remarks made during a working dinner with President Joseph N. Boakai, Sr.
In response to allegations of colluding with the Executive, Koffa challenged Wongbe to present evidence of any bill or action that went against Liberia's interests. He affirmed his non-partisan management of the Plenary and his dedication to enacting legislation beneficial to Liberia. Koffa also addressed the topic of budget alterations, mentioning steps taken to analyze discrepancies in the House's budget.
Koffa clarified that, at the aforementioned dinner, he had urged the President to stop pushing bills through a partisan outfit known as the "Rescue Bloc" and emphasized that Executive Bills should be sent to the House Leadership, which controls the agenda. He stressed that at no time did he commit to passing all bills without scrutiny or regard for the people's interests and the rule of law.
Speaker Koffa reiterated his commitment to scrutinizing bills and upholding the rule of law. Koffa also emphasized his efforts to address issues such as the "yellow machine" problem and ensure transparency and audits at the Legislature, highlighting his proactive approach to audits and addressing members' benefits.
Regarding transparency and audits at the Legislature, Koffa highlighted that he is the only Speaker in Liberia's history to sign up for audits of the House. He noted that the Auditor General advised setting up a system before conducting audits and that he had no control over the pace of the General Auditing Commission's (GAC) work. He assured that steps were being taken to ensure audits are done and advised Wongbe to familiarize himself with the issues.
Koffa also addressed the issue of members' benefits, acknowledging that it has always been a concern in the Legislature. He mentioned that he had entertained countless members from previous legislatures on this issue and even threatened to shut down the House over it. He informed that the Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance had developed a schedule and briefed the Plenary, assuring that the remaining benefits would be paid soon.
On the topic of budget alterations, Koffa recounted how he first raised the issue with the Ministry of Finance when discrepancies in the House's budget were discovered. He informed that the Legislative Budget Office (LBO) was instructed to analyze the entire budget document, which led to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning removing the document from their website.
Koffa concluded by dismissing Wongbe's claims as baseless and attributed them to "Facebook politics".
He encouraged Wongbe to participate in leadership meetings to gain a better understanding of the Legislature's workings.
"My training as a lawyer and my legislative experience would not allow me to act on incomplete information. Your claims are baseless and reckless, and are 'Facebook politics', the Speaker said. "I want to encourage you to attend leadership meetings to better understand the workings of the Legislature and I wish you luck in your pursuit of the chairmanship of Alternative National Congress (ANC)."
Meanwhile, minutes later, Rep. Wongbe remorsefully apologized, with a pledge to "listen and submit", while anticipating the Speaker's response to his concerns.
He however expressed his unrelenting commitment to principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, and accountability, and pledged to work towards positive transformation in the country.
"It is said that those who know better should do better and I have come to realize that doing better or doing the right thing is hard," Wongbe said. "You will get insulted and go through many challenges, but if you allow the same failed system to work on you, your mandate for transformation will not be achieved."
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The Nimba lawmaker continued: "Today, I have heard the calls of many to disengage and I will drop arms and await the Speaker's response to my grave concerns. As a leader, I must listen. I have listened and I submit. I have also reached out privately to the Speaker.
According to Wongbe, his support for Koffa as an opposition House Speaker "was not merely a political stance, but a commitment to the principles of separation of power, checks and balances, and accountability, and will work with him to achieve this. I also reminded him that loyalty is not stupidity and doesn't mean one must be a sycophant."
He added: "To those of you who believe in me and felt disappointed in my actions for publicly holding the Speaker accountable, I'm sorry. I am growing and maturing as a leader and learning how to balance my passion for change and doing what's right, while still pushing for transformation. It's a difficult balance that I must learn. I remain committed to positive transformation in this country we love so dearly, and I know the system will revolt, for WE ARE THE SYSTEM."
