-- Sen Moye tells members of the House of Reps, denies Involvement in Speaker Koffa Removal Drama
Bong County ranking Senator, Prince Kemmoh Moye, is challenging fellow lawmakers at the House of Representatives to be man enough, and conduct an audit, like the Senate has done.
At a well-attended press conference at the Capitol on October 21, Senator Moye categorically denied his involvement in the ongoing removal saga of the Speaker of the House of Representatives J. Fonita Koffa.
Senator Moye, who once served in the House of Representatives and now chairs the Senate committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget, expressed dismay, and described as unfortunate that Lawmakers at the House of Representatives will be pointing accusing fingers at him of sponsoring the removal of Speaker Koffa, because he and others are against a proposed audit of the House.
Senator Moye asserted that the government he vigorously fought to bring to power, campaigned on a platform of transparency and accountability therefore it is unthinkable for him to resist or be against audit.
"I am challenging the House's Leadership to muster the courage and conduct an audit for past and present Leaders of the House of Representatives," he said. According to Senator Moye, he served on the House's Committee as Chairman on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget for one year and three months, which witnessed the House of Representatives' consistency with what was appropriated.
"Go back and audit the House and you will see who are the real people, don't come here and be crying."
Additionally, Senator Moye disclosed that when he served as Deputy Speaker for three years, his budget did not exceed US$1 million. "It was between US$700,000 and US$800,000," he said.
He mentioned that when he won and became Senator in 2021, it is when the then Deputy Speaker J. Fonati Koffa's budget began to climb over one million and with an outturn of over four million after an allotment of one million in 2023.
Moye said these are some of the real issues that should lead to an audit of the House.
"We have taken the initiative at the Senate to do an audit, so you be man enough to do the same, other than to be scapegoating people here. What has stopped the General Auditing Commission from auditing since February? I know somebody saw their physical outturn of 2023 in their budget book with US$4 million, that is not hidden, so they got afraid because there is no justification. How did you manage for this money to pass through your account?" he asked.
Moye admonished those pointing accusing fingers at him to rather focus on the real issues raised in the resolution of their colleagues so as to address those concerns instead of blaming others.
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Since Thursday, the Congress for Democratic Change-controlled House of Representatives, has been plunged into a political saga, with some of their members and those from the ruling Unity Party and other supporting parties, reportedly receiving cash inducement to remove Speaker Koffa.
The seeming renegade lawmakers took advantage of the absence of Speaker Koffa, who was paying a once in a lifetime pilgrimage call on His Holiness Pope Francis at the Holy See, the Vatican, in Italy.
The drama continues this morning, as the House convenes for regular session and Koffa, having been blessed by the Pope, seeks vindication.
