Coming Back—More Robustly -Senate Resumes with Focus on ‘Unresolved Priorities’

MONROVIA – As the Senate returns from its first-quarter break of its second session, it does so with explicit focus on addressing issues that remain unresolved by the Liberian Senate, according to legislative media persons.

They said key amongst the priorities are to investigate STAR-P and RETRAP projects, investigate timely disbursement of funds by the ministry of finance to all referral hospitals, and volunteer teachers’ inclusion on payroll, amongst few others.

In her opening remarks at the resumption of the senate session on Tuesday May 13, 2025, Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence said, the Senate would conclude on the request to investigate the 200 plus million-dollar loan acquired by the government of Liberia for the STAR -P and RETRAP projects in 2021 under the Agriculture Ministry from the World Bank.

The loan included a $124m, $500,000 for roads that has not been done, as well as over $40m loan to small-holder farmers for agriculture projects that must be identified.

The Senate has also completed report from the committee on health on the effective and timely disbursement of funds by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to all referral hospitals, health centers, and clinics.

“And report on programs that need to be implemented to enhance quality care for our people in all counties for the national budget support,” he said. “Phase two of this hearing will include JFK, and Redemption hospitals.”

The Senate has also set sight on report from the Education Committee on the status of volunteer teachers’ inclusion on payroll, teachers’ trainings and renovation of schools across the country.

Pro Tempore Karnga Lawrence also applauded the government for the progress made on road development and maintenance.

He however said the essence of the road funds is to benefit all counties, not some.

“We do hereby mandate the Committee on Public Works to review the plans for the next road projects and ensure that each county gets an annual allotment for our approval,” he said, and added, “There have been complaints about violations of the road fund act, and we would like to launch an investigation into that to ensure the smooth implementation of the law for development progress.”

She also reminded her colleagues of an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the chair and some members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to join the delegation in New York to conclude on the final voting process for Liberia’s representation on the United Nations Security Council.

Pro Tempore Committee Award

Sen. Numena Bartekwa of Grand Kru County and chairman of the Committee on Concessions has emerged as the winner of the Pro Temp’s committee award taking over from Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado County who won the last.

She praised the committee for doing a fantastic work while on vacation with all ministries and agencies that are directly under their oversight responsibility, and will present some recommendations to the Senate on Thursday.

The recommendations will provide insight on the actions that the senate will take for the effective management of the country’s natural resources, especially in the extractive industry.

“The management of our natural resources was discussed at the Senate’s retreat in our quest to increase the national revenue envelope for the economic growth and development of our country,” the President Pro Tempore said.

“The presentation by the concession committee in few days might take the Senate to another retreat to get a final resolution on a road map as we have done with the port authority bill for decentralization of Government’s operations, for the development of all port Counties.”