The Liberia Senate has chosen to proceed independently with the budget review process due to the ongoing leadership crisis within the House, which has led to the delay in the conventional joint review procedure.
The senate, as it appears, does not want to be trapped in the ongoing crisis, and as such, will be contravening established tradition--ignoring the Joint Committee on Ways, Means Finance and Budget and Judiciary scrutiny of the draft Budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year--meaning the responsible committees of each chamber will handle the scrutiny process separately amid doubts and uncertainties over a timely passage.
This means that the Senate's committees on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget and Judiciary will individually assess the draft budget amidst the current uncertainties. This decision was reached on Tuesday, November 19, by the Plenary of the Senate.
The move was made following the reading and subsequent motion filed on a communication translating the national budget from President Boakai during the regular session at the Senate.
A motion for Senators to independently pursue the national budget and make allocations while awaiting their colleagues from the House of Representatives was filed by Senator Gbehzonger Findley of Grand Bassa.
This decision has raised concerns about potential delays in the budget review process.
The House of Representatives is currently experiencing a leadership crisis, with a group referred to as the "Majority Bloc" calling for the resignation of Speaker Fonati Koffa. However, Speaker Koffa has challenged his accusers and has declined to step down.
This political turmoil has led to complexities in the budget review process and governmental operations. The Executive, led by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, submitted the draft budget to the "Majority Bloc" snubbing Speaker Koffa in light of the ongoing crisis within the House.
The accompanying letter and hard copy of the draft budget were delivered by Comicks Chea, the Deputy Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, who subsequently presented the documents to Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah.
Following the reception of the draft budget, the Majority Bloc made various decisions, one of which was appointing Representative P. Mike Jurry as the acting Chairman of the Ways, Means, and Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, replacing Representative Dixon Seboe from Montserrado County.
Hearing Process Could be Cumbersome for Officials
With separate budget hearings to be conducted by both the Majority Bloc and the Senate's committees, officials from various government ministries and agencies may now need to appear multiple times before each committee to present their budget performance reports.
The Executive's interaction with the Majority Bloc implies that business dealings are likely to occur, especially since the President has directly engaged with this group.
Notably, top officials, including the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Transport, as well as the Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, have already interacted with the Majority Bloc.
This unconventional method of holding separate hearings deviates from the customary practice where the committees from the House of Representatives and Senate collaborate in joint budget hearings.
Typically, the joint committee members collectively review the budget, make appropriations, and offer recommendations to their respective plenaries for a streamlined budget passage process. In instances of discrepancies in the joint report, a conference committee is typically established to resolve the financial allocation matters.
The submission of the draft budget to the Legislature faced delays owing to the House of Representatives' crisis, as the President sought legal counsel prior to its submission. The process underscores the need for procedural adherence and collaborative efforts among government branches to effectively manage financial affairs.
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The Senate's decision to independently review the budget was made to navigate the impasse, with Senator Gbehzonger Findley leading the motion for separate scrutiny.
The decision to have separate budget hearings by the Senate and the "Majority Bloc" poses challenges for line ministries and agencies, as they may need to appear multiple times to present and defend budget performance reports.
This divergence from the usual joint committee approach could impact the efficiency and timely delivery of essential services to the Liberian populace. Many believe that the delay and procedural complexities stemming from the leadership crisis may impede effective governance and impact service delivery in vital sectors such as healthcare and education across the country.
