The President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence has disclosed that the second quarter of their sitting will be robust on implementation, monitoring and evaluation especially, with the various allotments in the 2024 National budget.
Pro-Tempore Karnga-Lawrence made the statement on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at the opening of the second quarter.
Senator Lawrence said the Liberian senate will exercise its oversight responsibility on Ministries and Agencies to ensure a transparent process.
She said the General Auditing Commission (GAC) is concluding its report after one month of financial system and procedures evaluation in the Senate, adding “Our internal financial management team has started to be in compliance”.
“The leadership looks forward to a transparent and accountable Senate in preparation for an annual audit of the Senate in two years. With respect to the general outlook of the Senate, she revealed that appropriation in the budget is also focused on a decent working environment at the Senate,” she said.
Senator Lawrence said during the first session, senate concurred with the House of Representatives on the passage of the National budget in the tone of US$ 738,859,827 or LRD$155.8 billion and the passage of the value added tax bill (VAT) in the interest of compliance and increasing the revenue envelope for the national budget.
“We made in the budget for programs which include US$600,000 as initial funds for the Construction of the CH Rennie Hospital in Kakata, Margibi County, 95 vehicles for police operations in every county, US$1 million for the renovation of the police academy and trainings, US$4.4 million for the payroll of over 2,000 volunteer teachers who have been without salaries for over 10 years among others,” Lawrence said.
She said additional US$ 1million was allotted to the Liberian Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) for rehabilitation and data collection program for at risk youths, US$ 2million was approved for fire trucks to activate fire stations across the counties and US$2.5 million increment to the Monrovia and Paynesville City Cooperations for community and city workers’ salaries.
