The grounds of the Capitol on Monday, December 9, 2024 turned chaotic after lawmakers from the ‘Minority Bloc’ supporting embattled House of Representatives Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) entered into a serious clash.
Representatives Marvin Cole, Yekeh Kolubah, Eugene Kollie, Luther Collins and others blocked the entries of legislature preventing members of the Executive Branch of government from appearing before the ‘Majority Bloc’ in its quest to conduct hearings for the 2025 National Budget.
According to the lawmakers, members from the majority bloc were acting against the ruling of the Supreme Court that rendered their actions as unconstitutional and illegal.
It can be recalled that the embattled Speaker Koffa in a press release on Sunday, December 8, 2024, urged all government spending entities to disregard invitations for budget hearings extended by unauthorized committees set up by “absent members” of the House of Representatives.
He said only Representative Dixon Seboe, Chair of Ways, Means, and Finance, has the authority to convene budget hearings as certain absent members were organizing themselves into committees to conduct budget hearings.
“This action is inconsistent and contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision in the matter In Re the Constitutionality of Certain Members of the House of Representatives, as decided on December 6, 2024. Any hearings or decisions made by these unauthorized committees are “ultra vires” and invalid. “All spending entities are hereby advised not to honor any invitation or appear for any hearing not scheduled by Hon. Dixon Seboe. Any sittings or actions to the contrary will not be cognizable at law,” he said.
But Majority Bloc’s Speaker Richard N. Koon, Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, Lawmakers from the House Committee of Ways, Means and Finance and Budget along with Ministers and Deputies Ministers and delegates from Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) commenced the budget hearing in the deputy speaker’s office causing the minority lawmakers to resist.
The action led to huge tension after state security attempted to stop the lawmakers from entering the office of Deputy Speaker Fallah where the revenue component of the budget hearing was taking place.
Police officers were seen using force on Representative Kolubah and other lawmakers to remove them from the vicinity of the office of the Deputy Speaker Fallah.
Speaking to reporters, Embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa has expressed serious disappointment in the Executive branch of Government in the wake of the crisis at the House of Representatives.
Koffa said the heavy presence of police officers at the grounds of the Capitol Building on Monday is a clear indication that the so- called absentees/ majority lawmakers are allegedly getting the comfort from the Executive in what he described as a treasonous plot.
He said they are people’s representatives and will not be afraid, but called on all sides to step back, obey the rule of law and the precepts of the Supreme Court. Embattled Speaker Koffa cautioned the Executive to refrain from their treasonous plot and to allow the rule of law to prevail.
He alleged that the majority is ignoring the rule of law because they are enjoying the comfort of the Executive, saying “All over the world in some parliaments, you will see lawmakers throwing chairs and fighting, but do you see police presence there? Do you see police throwing tear gas and using batons to brutalize lawmakers? But this too is Liberia,” he told journalists.
Meanwhile, the Majority Bloc’s Ways, Means and Finance Committee Chair, Representative Mike Jury, said the essence of legislative budgeting is to review the government’s plan, track the government’s revenues and expenditures, and to ensure the government has enough money to cover its activities and achieve set goals.
He assured the public of a renewed and robust oversight into the execution of the FY2025 budget when approved by the august body, and will include further fiscal measures to be put in place, like the viewing and garnishing rights given to the LRA, hearings on quarterly performance reports, among others.
In remarks, Deputy Acting Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Tanneh G. Brunson, disclosed that the expenditures for the ensuing year are aligned to the Arrest Agenda for inclusive Development (AAID) and intends to address some of the country’s development challenges.
Hon. Brunson says the amount of US$745.69 million, representing 88 percent of the total expenditure, is forecasted as recurrent revenue. This amount indicates a 10 percent increment when compared to FY2024. Recurrent Expenditures Forecast Compensation of employees is projected at US$315.17 million, or 42.3 percent of the total budget.
She said this amount will fund the inclusion of additional health workers and teachers on the government’s payroll and increase the salaries of selected social security sectors’ civil servants to the minimum wage and above in keeping with the Decent Work Act of 2015.
Also speaking was the Deputy Commissioner General for Technical Affairs of the Liberia Revenue Authority, Gabriel Montgomery, who recounted that in 2024, the LRA was charged with collecting US$738.86 million.
“I am pleased to report that as of November 30, 2024, we have successfully collected US$619.9 million, representing 84% of our total revenue target and about 90% of our domestic revenue target. This performance not only underscores our commitment to revenue collection but also reflects the hard work of our dedicated staff and the partnerships we forged with various stakeholders. Honorable legislators and members of the press, I am elated to report that the amount collected at this stage in the current year is the highest the LRA has collected in a single year since its establishment. We are indeed committed to achieving the billion-dollar mark that has eluded us for many years”, the LRA official said.
He said the LRA for FY 2025 has been tasked with raising a total of US$851.8 million, with the core revenue expected to amount to US$833 million and contingent revenue at US$18.8 million.
According to him, it marks a substantial 15.3% increase over the recast budget of this year and requires a united effort, innovative strategies, and a forward-thinking approach.
By Tonita N. Copson
