Monrovia A specialized committee of the Liberian Senate set up to investigate an alleged budget alteration has exonerated Bong County, Senator Prince K. Moye and the Senate Committee on Ways Means and Finance from budget tampering of the US$738.8 National Budget for Fiscal Year 2024,
It can be recalled that few members of the House of Representatives and Senate claimed that the National Budget, which was passed by the 55th National Legislature, has been allegedly tampered with by unknown persons.
There have been claims and counter-claims between some members of the Executive and Legislature over the reported alteration of the budget.
Concerns from the public got further heightened following an in-depth investigation by the House's Specialized Committee, which released its report, revealing that the Senate initiated the recall of the budget after Senate Secretary J. Nanborlor F. Singbeh, Sr. contacted the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives for corrections.
The committee confirmed that alterations were made to the recalled budget but did not hold any individuals accountable.
Following the report's release, there were increasing calls from lawmakers and the public for the Senate to launch its inquiry, with accusations directed at the Senate's Ways, Means, and Finance Committee and the Senate Secretary, who allegedly initiated the recall.
This, prompted Senate Pro Tempore, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence to mandate that an investigation be conducted publicly within one week for further action.
Her decision to form the committee aligns with her commitment to transparency and accountability as the head of the Liberian Senate. This move is aimed at addressing public concerns regarding the alleged budget alterations and providing clarity on the issue.
The committee was chaired by Grand Cape Mount County Senator Dabah Varpilah and includes several other senators: Thomas Yaya Nimely of Grand Gedeh County, James Biney of Maryland County, Momo Cyrus of Lofa County, Augustine Chea of Sinoe County, and Numene T.H. Bartekwa of Grand Kru County.
The committee's terms of reference were to determine if the budget passed by the Senate and transmitted to the House of Representatives with all signatures intact matches the final budget signed by the Speaker and Vice President.
They were also instructed to compare it to the printed version of the budget. Additionally, the committee was tasked with establishing whether alterations were made, identifying who made the changes, and determining the motive behind the actions.
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During the investigation, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and the Budget, Senator Prince Moye, in a bid to foster clarity, called for transparency and accountability to prevail during the investigation surrounding the alleged alteration, with a vow to avert dubious financial transactions and the manipulation of the country's fiscal envelope at the level of the Liberian Senate.
Further speaking with reporters at his Capitol Building office in Monrovia on Friday, August 30, Senator Moye disclosed that members of the Liberian Senate did not have any issue with the national budget after passing it, in keeping with their rules and constitutional mandate.
He maintained that the relevant committee of the Senate deliberated along with their colleagues from the House of Representatives and thereafter submitted a joint report to their respective plenaries on the passage of the budget.
However, following the committee's in-depth investigation, the Senate Specialized Committee vindicated Senator Moye and the Senate Ways Means, Finance, and Budget from alteration or budget tampering as being alleged or spewed in the public.
This latest outcome from the committee's report will now be laid to rest a heated, closed-door debate among senators over growing allegations of budget manipulation, which were sparked by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee report.
