Monrovia — The Liberian government and the international community continue to uphold the legitimacy of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, despite a faction within the House of Representatives controversially seeking his removal.
Amid the stalemate in the House, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has invited Speaker Koffa to participate in a validation exercise for the government's draft ARREST Agenda.
Despite the dispute, Information Minister Jerelinmek Piah clarified that the government will continue to recognize Koffa as the legitimate Speaker. Addressing concerns about the impending 2025 Draft National Budget, Piah stated, "The Speaker is still the Speaker of the House and hasn't been removed, so when the budget is finalized, it will be submitted to him."
At the same time, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has scheduled a mission to Liberia from November 6 to 19 to review the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program. The IMF Resident Representative in Liberia has formally requested a meeting with Speaker Koffa and legislative leaders on November 18 to discuss updates on the ECF program.
Amid calls for his resignation, Speaker Koffa has firmly resisted, declaring that he will only step down if his opponents secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority--equivalent to 49 members in the House. Currently, the dissenting lawmakers number 43, falling short of the threshold necessary to formally unseat him. In the face of this shortfall, the breakaway group has resorted to conducting separate sessions in the legislature's joint chamber, a move Speaker Koffa has denounced as unconstitutional.
On Wednesday, the Speaker made a cryptic post on his WhatsApp status, stating, "The enemy made a grave mistake." The specifics of his message remain unclear.
The faction seeking Speaker Koffa's removal alleges that he has breached ethical standards by serving as a legal consultant for both government and private entities while in office. Additionally, they claim he misappropriated substantial funds, amounting to millions, during his tenure as Deputy Speaker. These accusations have intensified the internal discord within the legislative body.
In response, Speaker Koffa dismissed the allegations, stating they lack substantial evidence and that the accusations in the resolution were not well-researched. He emphasized that neither he nor his law firm, the International Law Group, has conducted business with government institutions. Regarding the overspending of his budget while he served as Deputy Speaker, Koffa stated that the audit he commissioned would reveal what transpired.
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Speaker Koffa has, meanwhile, petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the 'majority bloc's' sessions illegal and to compel them to join the rest of their colleagues in the main chamber for regular sessions. The Court has placed a stay order on the group's activities and cited them for a conference scheduled for November 4.
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has launched an investigation into allegations that $750,000 was funneled through government agencies to influence lawmakers to sign the resolution for Koffa's removal. Responding to these concerns, Minister Piah reiterated that any member of the executive implicated in the LACC investigation would face punitive action.
