By: Moses M. Tokpah
Liberia-County Senator, Amara Konneh, has detected what he terms as the lack of transparency and credibility in the FY2024 recast budget that was passed by the Liberian Senate last Monday.
Sen. Konneh: “This recast budget lacks transparency and credibility. How can we oversee the passage of a non-transparent budget when we have just barely resolved an alleged alteration scandal? Are we committed to good governance, or have we abandoned our country?”
The Gbarpolu Senator also provided reasons for which he did not support the recast budget such as what he referred to as the lack of transparency and credibility in allocating US$1.7 million for ‘other compensation and liabilities noting that it would benefit the Liberian people to understand who the funds are being paid to and for what specific services.
The Gbarpolu Lawmaker asserted that providing information on the nature of the liabilities, how they were incurred, and by whom would help to address any concerns.
Another reason given by the Senator that led to him not supporting the recast budget is because in his words the Executive reduced the health budget in the recast budget sparking protests from Senators.
However, he said the Legislature’s Conference Committee set up by the Speaker and Pro Temp, has taken steps to reallocate restored health funding to health centers in Bassa, Bong, Nimba, and Montserrado.
“Unfortunately, as of September 5, 2024, hospitals and health centers in Western Liberia -Bomi, Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu Counties have only received about 10% of their allocated funds,” he revealed.
He said the Emirates Hospital in Gbarpolu has only received US$37,000 and in contrast, the other 14 health centers in six districts have received only US$50,000 collectively, averaging approximately US$3,571 for nine months of operations.
Sen. Konneh stated that this situation is the same in the southeastern region noting that it is deeply concerning and requires urgent attention to ensure adequate support for these essential healthcare facilities.
The Senator in his third reason expressed that most primary and secondary schools in Liberia have reopened, but they currently face challenges in providing quality education making specific reference to the lack of benches, instructional materials, and, in some cases, teachers.
He noted that the Executive Branch initially proposed cuts to education funding in the recast budget which caused concern in the Senate, however, after protests by Senators, the legislature restored the cuts.
Sen. Konneh mentioned that disappointingly, all the “restored” funds were reallocated to tertiary education instead of the teacher training institutes to strengthen their capacity to support the primary and secondary education sectors.
He continued: “It’s important to note that allocating “restored” funds to specific colleges has raised questions also.”
The Liberia Lawmaker believes that it’s essential to consider the impact of the proposed cuts on the agriculture, energy, and environment sectors mentioning that these sectors play a critical role in food security and fueling the economy, as such cutting their funding could have negative consequences.
He said defunding the energy sector could limit the ability of organizations like the Liberia Electricity Corporation and the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency to provide stable and affordable electricity, which is essential for supporting businesses and households and increasing domestic revenues.
This according to him, could lead to increased challenges for businesses and families, potentially resulting in a greater reliance on imported foods and generators that pollute the environment adding that it’s important to consider the potential long-term effects of these proposed cuts carefully and that these issues require their immediate attention.
He said without adequate access to essential medicines, more lives are at risk while many children cannot attend public schools due to a lack of resources, and their families cannot afford private education.
The Senator said addressing these challenges and ensuring inclusive and equitable development for all their constituents is essential.
He then explained that the current hardships in the country fall far short of his expectations, including those of his friends who supported change, the voters in Gbarpolu County who sent him to the Senate, and the rest of the country who voted for change.
“Nine months have passed, and the government has yet to fully emerge from hibernation. The people are increasingly expressing a sense of subdued disappointment and frustration” he concluded.
