Opposition lawmakers with numerical advantage have firmly declared their refusal to approve any recast of the 2024 National Budget, citing grave concerns over the alleged unauthorized alteration of the 2024 Approved National Budget.
The alteration reportedly impacts a broad spectrum of government sectors, raising alarms about potential fiscal misconduct and a breach of legislative authority.
The variances In the budget alterations are substantial: Agriculture Sector (+200K), Education Sector (+25K), Industry and Commerce (+325K), Social Development Sector (+1.9M), Security and Rule of Law (+1.6M), Municipal Government Sector (+2.6M), Energy and Environment Sector (+5.7M), Infrastructure and Basic Services Sector (+7.6M), Public Administration Sector (-19.17M), Transparency and Accountability (-500K), and Health Sector (-400K). These changes have prompted outrage among opposition legislators, who argue that the Executive Branch, under President Joseph Boakai, may have overstepped its bounds.
The alleged alterations adversely impacted key sectors: Health faced a $400K cut, Public Administration saw a $19.17M reduction, and the Transparency and Accountability sector was slashed by $500K.
The variances are as a result of decreases and increases in the appropriations as opposed to the figures captured in the handbill.
Opposition voices were spearheaded by Senator Nathaniel F. McGill, Chair of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Legislative Caucus, and Representative Musa Hasan Bility, Chairman of the Liberty Party (LP), during a press conference at the Capitol Building on Tuesday, August 15, 2024. The two opposition leaders highlighted the severity of the alleged budget manipulation, urging their colleagues and the public not to take this issue lightly.
“This is a grave crime, and we cannot afford to treat this lightly,” Senator McGill declared. He emphasized that the Executive Branch, despite being led by President Boakai, does not have the jurisdiction to alter a budget that has been duly passed by the Legislature. McGill warned fellow lawmakers to avoid involvement in any efforts to recast a budget that has already been tampered with.
The CDC and LP, now united in their opposition, represent a formidable force within the Legislature, holding a majority bloc of 36 lawmakers across both the Senate and the House. Their united stance against the recast of the 2024 budget poses a significant threat to any further legislative action on the matter.
The lawmakers’ stance is further complicated by growing national concerns. Various stakeholders, including government officials, civil society activists, and citizens, have raised alarm, demanding an investigation into the alleged budget alterations. They argue that if left unaddressed, this issue could undermine the credibility of Liberia’s fiscal governance.
During the press conference, Senator McGill subtly distanced himself from directly accusing President Boakai but implied that such actions might have been executed by key members of his administration. He stressed the importance of not politicizing the matter, framing it as a national concern that indicts the entire government and subjects it to public scrutiny.
“The manipulation of the budget is a crime, a violation of the law and tantamount to corruption,” McGill stated emphatically. He called for an independent investigation into the matter, expressing doubts about the Legislature’s ability to investigate itself, given the potential involvement of some of its members in the alleged wrongdoing.
Representative Bility echoed McGill’s sentiments, asserting that the Legislature lacks the moral authority to investigate the budget alterations. He argued that an independent body, such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) or the General Auditing Commission (GAC), should handle the investigation.
“This Legislature has neither the capacity nor the moral rectitude to investigate this matter,” Bility stated. “If we must move forward, we have to ensure that we do things the right way.”
Both Senator McGill and Representative Bility called for the Legislature to recall itself to address the budget issue fully. They warned against relegating the matter to a committee, a common tactic used in the past to sideline pressing national issues.
“What we sent to you is not what we are receiving,” Senator McGill pointed out, posing a rhetorical question: “If you are asking to recast, that means you are admitting to what was sent.”
Bility further cautioned against “zeroing the situation” by merely referring it to a committee, a practice he criticized as a means of avoiding accountability.
The opposition’s firm stance on the budget issue sends a strong message to the Boakai administration: any attempts to manipulate the national budget will be met with fierce resistance.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to these serious allegations and whether a path forward can be found that upholds the integrity of Liberia’s fiscal processes.
With the nation watching closely, the outcome of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for the Boakai administration and the future of governance in Liberia.
