Liberia News: Budget’s ‘4G’ Passage Rings Alarm Bell

Monrovia-The Liberian Senate has unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2025 National Budget, concurring with the House of Representatives’ earlier endorsement of the US$880 million financial plan, but without contention from some government agencies.

A post from the Director General of the Liberia Broadcasting System, Eugene Fahngon that he was not invited to any budget hearing – a period spending entity are given opportunity to defend their appropriations, cast doubt on the appropriateness of passing the national document outside of set out machineries.

Most Liberians on both social media and radio alarmed over what they termed ‘4G passing’ of the budget, taking their claims from Mr. Fahngon and others’ concerns.

The majority bloc, under the leadership of embattled Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, passed the budget on Thursday, December 19, 2024, before forwarding it to the Senate for concurrence.

In a special session convened on Friday, December 20, 2024, the Senate plenary ratified the instrument following a motion introduced by Grand Kru County Senator Numene T. H. Bartekwa.

The session saw some procedural debate, with River Cess County Senator Wellington Geevon-Smith requesting an “on the record” vote. “I will be ready to vote if we vote on the record,” Senator Geevon-Smith asserted, a request that was granted by Senate President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence.

Subsequently, the “on the record” vote resulted in unanimous support from 19 senators present during the special sitting, clearing the final legislative hurdle for the budget.

Following the vote, Pro-Tempore Karnga-Lawrence directed the Senate secretariat to officially communicate the decision to the Executive Branch, marking the completion of the legislative approval process for the FY2025 financial blueprint.