Monrovia — A dramatic late-night sitting of Liberia's 55th Legislature ended on Thursday with the swift passage of a US$53 million supplementary budget, but the process was overshadowed by the controversial expulsion of Montserrado County District 10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah and capped by a protest walkout from Senator Darius Dillon.
Obediah Johnson, [email protected], and Emmanuel Weedee-Conway, [email protected]
The special session, convened at the request of President Joseph Boakai, was intended to address urgent national priorities, including the supplementary budget, the printing of additional banknotes, and other economic measures. However, proceedings were dominated by tensions stemming from Kolubah's expulsion earlier during the sitting--an issue that sparked intense debate within and beyond the Capitol.
After nearly a full day of closed-door meetings and consultations, lawmakers raised doubts about whether the Legislature would complete its core mandate. It was not until late into the night that members of the House of Representatives reconvened and hastily passed the budget, forwarding it to the Senate for concurrence.
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Representative P. Mike Jurry, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget, defended the process and allocations, describing the outcome as a success.
"The money goes across sectors, specifically rule of law, public administration, and the security sector," Jurry said. "A significant portion went to the security sector - the military, the police, and other paramilitary institutions. Education and health also received major support. For instance, health is about eight million, and education is close to that."
He added that ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning is aimed at tightening fiscal controls and reducing leakages.
In the Senate, however, the process quickly became contentious. Lawmakers spent hours reviewing the submission from the House, which reportedly arrived with only a transmittal letter and without a detailed copy of the budget.
Despite concerns, the Senate--presided over by Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence--proceeded with deliberations and ultimately passed the budget. But Senator Darius Dillon openly objected, demanding full documentation before any vote.
Frustrated by what he described as a lack of transparency, Dillon staged a walkout in protest, underscoring growing divisions within the chamber.
The budget was informed by a Joint Conference Committee report from both Houses. Presenting key highlights, Senate Ways, Means, Finance and Budget Committee Chairman Prince Moye disclosed that the package includes an additional US$8 million from the World Bank, bringing the total envelope beyond the initial US$45 million proposal.
According to Moye, allocations include US$3.58 million for the Ministry of National Defense, US$1 million for the Liberia National Police, and US$1.5 million each to place volunteer teachers and health workers on government payroll. The Ministry of Education also received support to close a US$1.7 million payroll gap.
Additional allocations include US$1.4 million for salaries of health workers at ELWA Hospital, US$2 million for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support Liberia's United Nations Security Council engagement, and US$500,000 to secure embassy property in Ghana.
Further funding covers US$475,000 for IT system upgrades, US$300,000 for budget software, and US$500,000 for internship support at the Ministry of Finance. The contingent reserve stands at US$1.9 million, while US$400,000 is set aside to address salary arrears. The judiciary received US$400,000, and US$358,078 was allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture for school feeding programs.
Moye also highlighted US$5.9 million for the deployment of yellow machines to leeward counties and US$500,000 for the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation to boost operations outside Monrovia.
During debate, Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe called for stronger oversight of increased security spending, while also urging scrutiny of subsidies to ELWA Hospital to ensure affordability for citizens. Senator Amara Konneh supported the security boost amid rising border tensions with Guinea but argued that more funding is needed to strengthen the Armed Forces of Liberia.
Senator Dabah Varpilah emphasized the need for accountability, urging that all allocations be used for their intended purposes.
Prior to passage, Senators Konneh and Dillon both raised procedural concerns, insisting that the full budget document be read alongside the House's communication. Although the presiding officer later moved to address the concern, Dillon proceeded with his walkout and declined to speak to reporters afterward.
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Earlier, Konneh had warned that the Legislature's focus had been diverted.
"Important issues--printing new banknotes and the supplemental budget--got overshadowed by the Yekeh Kolubah debate," he said, questioning whether the expulsion was the true priority of the session.
He further challenged whether Kolubah's removal would resolve the Liberia-Guinea border situation, asking if Guinean troops had withdrawn as a result.
Kolubah's expulsion--seen by many as politically charged--cast a long shadow over the session, deepening divisions and raising concerns about legislative priorities and independence.
While lawmakers declared "mission accomplished" following passage of the budget, critics argue that the hurried process, lack of transparency, and political distractions may erode public confidence.
With both chambers now in agreement, the focus shifts to implementation--but questions surrounding process, priorities, and accountability are likely to linger.
