CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA -The Speaker of the House of representatives Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa has expressed reasons for giving 4G Passage to President Joseph N. Boakai 41.3Million Budget Request made to the House of Representatives.
The Speaker in Conversation with Legislative Reporters on Feb 23, 2024, clarified that the budget request made by the Liberian Leader in early February was passed by plenary based on Merit.
President Joseph N. Boakia requested the 55th Legislature to grant him approval to use US$41,300,000 for the month of February in order to avoid the shout down of the government.
Prior to the passage, the budget was argued in open plenary, a precedent that has never been set at the house for years now.
He furthered that the consideration of the budget should be focused on “line items” and not on ego nor political games. Cllr. Koffa believes that lawmakers who voted against the budget at the Senate didn’t get the vivid intent of the budget for which they denied.
“Did I want to have the budget and embarrass the government and reject it? Yes, that’s a nice thing, and everybody will be lifting me, saying he’s a hero because he opposed the government. But what happens the next day when civil servants don’t take pay?”
Describing his role as the third most powerful citizen in the country, speaker asserted that he’s not Prepared to hold on civil servant’s salary for what he terms as “political maneuvering”.
By: Alphanso G. Kalama
