MONROVIA – In the wake of the ongoing leadership struggle on Capitol Hill between the Majority Bloc headed by their elected Speaker Richard Koon, and House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa on the other hand, conflicting and worrisome concerns are emerging as to what has happened to the recently submitted draft National Budget 2025 to the National Legislature through the office of the Chief Clerk.
As reports continue to flood the social media space pointing to a resubmission of the draft National Budget 2025 by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning through the office of the chief clerk to Speaker Koffa, the Government of Liberia has issued an official statement debunking those accounts as false and misleading.
According to the Ministry of Information, the Executive branch of the government has not resubmitted the draft National Budget 2025 to the National Legislature as reported on social media and other media outlets.
“The Executive Branch maintains that the November 18, 2024 submission of the Draft National Budget to the Acting Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives remains valid.
“When a draft budget is submitted to the Legislature, each member of the Legislature is entitled to a copy in preparation for the budget debate as required by law.
“The Executive Branch of the Liberian Government remains engaged with the National Legislature to ensure the subsequent passage of the draft National Budget,” said MICAT in its Tuesday, December 3, 2024 press statement.
Supporting the Executive Branch’s position statement, Rep. Foday Fahnbulleh, spokesperson for the House Majority Bloc, has also clarified that the 2025 Draft National Budget has been submitted to the National Legislature.
“The Chairperson on Ways and Means is preparing for budget hearings, while Speaker Koon has instructed the Deputy Chief Clerk to distribute copies to all representatives, including former Speaker Koffa,” Rep. Fahnbulleh said, while dismissing rumors of a resubmission as false, calling it an attempt to mislead the public and appease the former Speaker’s supporters.
Rep. Dixon Seboe’s Version
A staunch supporter of embattled speaker Koffa, Representative Dixon Seboe was recently replaced by the Majority Bloc as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. With the Supreme Court having placed a stay order on the Majority Bloc’s actions, Rep. Seboe says his work as Chairman on the House Ways and Means Committee is about to resume, leading to budget hearings in the shortest possible time.
“I don’t know whether this budget was received before, so if it was received, then you can talk about resubmission. Normally in the budget process, it’s a ceremonial presentation, wherein a cover letter and a single copy is presented to the recipient, in this case, to the Speaker. In this case, it was done the wrong way initially, and so, what has happened now is the full presentation in terms of the 73 copies that should be shared with all of the colleagues.
“Yesterday, those 73 copies were presented to the office of the chief clerk, and the office of the speaker was notified. So, it means that beginning today, the office of the chief clerk will be instructed by the speaker that each office receives a copy of the budget.
“Beginning today, every colleague will begin to receive a hard copy of the budget, which signifies now that we are beginning the process of the budget hearing. The office of the speaker has been notified; the speaker has given instruction beginning today the chief clerk office must ensure that each office receives a copy.
“I can’t speak for the Ministry of Finance, but it’s possible that the copies that were brought had issues. So, now they are being brought finally, and they are lodged in the office of the chief clerk, and the chief clerk office has informed the office of the speaker, and the office of the speaker through the Speaker has already given a mandate that beginning today that each of us must receive a copy.
“From my perspective as chairman, my work does not begin until we shall have gone to plenary, and I am formally given the budget, and then I will begin the process of budget hearing,” Rep. Seboe said confidently when he addressed the media on the grounds of the Capitol Building yesterday.
Mixed signals on truth telling
But in a manner that many view as highly conflicting, a purported press release from the National Legislature press and public bureau signals something offhand.
According to the House press and public affairs office, the budget, as submitted by the Executive through the Ministry of Finance, was duly received in plenary on November 18, 2024, and has since been sent to committee room.
“However, in a usual manner, it has come to the members in session attention that the Speaker, Rep. J. Fonati Koffa accompanied by a heavy security presence, forcefully took from the Chief Clerk office copies of the budget intended for distribution among the 73 members is now pretending like the budget was resubmitted to him.
“The development is highly concerning and raises questions about the integrity of the legislative process. The members in session strongly condemn this action.
Investigations are ongoing, and appropriate actions will be taken to address this breach of protocol,” the press release said.
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