The Executive Branch of Government has communicated to the Legislature, pleading to extend the 2025 Draft National Budget submission.
Per the Public Financial Management (PFM) Law, each draft calendar year budget will be presented to the Legislature for scrutiny.
This indicates a violation of the Law and the government’s inability to deliver on time, irrespective of what is enshrined in the Law.
This year, Liberia will see a delay in the budget submission to the Legislature due to what the government believes to be based on proper preparation to meet all requirements.
The Executive Branch, through President Joseph Boakai, told the Legislature that it could not meet up with preparation affecting the stipulated time of the PFM Law, prompting a request to extend the draft national budget of 2025.
In a communication read on the floor at the Liberia Senate, President Boakai noted that all necessary steps are being taken to arrive at an informed-draft national budget.
The President believes the time requested is critical and will help them have the required time to present a comprehensive draft budget.
The Liberian Leader noted that this would accommodate all potential revenue priorities in keeping with session 17.1 of the 2019 Amendment and Reinstate the 2009 PFM Law of Liberia.
The new day set for the Draft National Budget of 2025 presentation is November 8, 2024.
According to the President, the Government of Liberia is also concluding discussions with national and international development partners whose contributions and imports are critical in forming the national Budget.
The letter highlights that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has informed the President’s office about financing talks with the Liberia Revenue Authority and other relevant revenue-generating entities.
This is geared towards finalizing technical and economic analysis before submission to the Legislature.
According to the communication, MFDP is also discussing the budget ceiling and expenditure priority with spending entities in line with the ARREST Agenda for inclusive consideration, which will begin in 2025.
“Accordingly, I ask your understanding to complete the budget to ensure that the draft National Budget is submitted to the Legislature by November 8, 2024”, the letter stated.
President Boakai said the government is cognizant of the crucial nature of the Budget, noting that his administration will do all it can to present the draft budget as promised.
