The President Pro-tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence has strongly defended that august body’s integrity by saying that the US$47,000.00 recently spent in Buchanan Grand Bassa County was legal money acquired through the Senate’s Committee budget line.
The Pro-tempore’s statement comes just a day after the Chairman of the Ways, Means Finance and Budget Committee of the Senate, Prince K. Moye of Bong County, guaranteed the public that the body under the leadership of Madam Karnga-Lawrence will continue to trek on the path of transparency and accountability
Senator Moye said contrary to rumors about US$700,000.00 allegedly used by the Senate in Buchanan, the actual budget for the retreat was US$50,000.00.
In Moye’s clarification, he said US$50,000.00 represents a recast budget, which was derived from previous line items (Constituency Visit and Committee Hearings) in order to facilitate all expenditures covering the retreat.
The Bong County Senator also clarified that out of the US$50,000.00 requested; US$47,000.00 was disbursed by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, of which US$42,840.00 was spent on feeding, accommodation, staff compensation and Security.
Making a special statement on Thursday, June 20, 2024 in Plenary, Pro-Tempore Karnga -Lawrence also dispelled rumors that the Liberian Senate has DSA budget line, and stories about senators getting DSA are false and misleading.
She cautioned the public that the Liberian Senate operates by the constitution and rules which provide for one spokesperson of the august body, which is the President Pro Tempore. Therefore all information about the Senate retreat that has been used to target senators is unofficial.
Amongst many benefits from the Buchanan retreat, is an agreement to have the General Auditing Commission (GAC) completes its report after a one-month review of the Senate’s financial management system which sets the basis for the body to move towards setting up the financial management system and digitization, which includes the Senate’s website for transparency.
Pre Tempore Karnga-Lawrence: “At the end of the process, all information including publishing the Senate‘s budget and financials will be on the website. The Senate is also working with the CSA on employee headcount to streamline and build capacity for efficiency in the Senate. These initiatives are laudable and we are grateful for the cooperation of the entire Senate,” she said.
Meanwhile, she disclosed that the Senate will on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 deliberate on the proposals to the Senate rules done at the Buchanan retreat, and after the endorsement of those proposals, the Senate will have its new rules published for the working of the Senate and the public.
