Nimba Lawmaker On Spending Entities’ Back

-Says Their Actions Contravene Public Financial Management Law Of Liberia  

Nimba County District #5 Lawmaker is said to be on the back of spending entities to make their reports to the Liberian Legislature.

Representative Samuel G. Kogar, in an official communication to the Speaker of the House of Representatives said the abject refusal by spending entities to abide by the 2009 Public Financial Management Law of Liberia is something they as the people’s representatives need to look at with seriousness.

The Nimba Lawmaker indicated that the spending entities have not abide by section 7 (a) of the 2009 Public Financial Management Law something he said is a total disrespect and violation of laws of the land.

Section 7 (a) of the 2009 Public Financial Management Law states that “Each spending entity for which appropriations have been made in this budget shall submit a quarterly budget performance report to the House of Representatives and Senate with explanatory notes of the quantitative and qualitative results for spending the appropriation herein provided the reports are due within fifteen (15) days after the end of each quarter”.

He told his colleagues that unambiguously right more than five budget quarters has passed with no budget performance report from spending entities as required by law made their reports.

He pointed out that among all the spending institutions, only the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has been very much in compliance with the public financial management provision.

The communication from the Nimba lawmaker as well captured the attention of other members of the House of Representatives.

Representative Clarence Massaquoi said “Liberians are taking us for granted because we are not sometime closing our eyes on some of the things”.

He stressed that it is important for those institutions who are receiving money through the budget to make their reports as it is written in the law.

After deliberation on the issue, the plenary of the House unanimously agreed that communication be served to spending institutions mandating them to provide their quarterly reports since taking over those institutions.

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.