Bility Slams Fellow Lawmakers Over Alleged Budget Alteration, Calls for Probe

Published: August 23, 2024

CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – Nimba County District 7 Representative Musa Bility has accused his fellow lawmakers of being involved in the alleged tampering of Liberia’s 2024 national budget, labeling the actions as “a complete scam” and calling for an independent investigation.

“They did it, they’re aware of it,” Bility said, accusing members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives of deliberately altering the budget for their own benefit. He expressed disbelief at the scale of the manipulation, describing it as outright corruption. “When there’s an allegation of corruption—because budget alteration is corruption—we ourselves cannot investigate that,” he added.

Bility’s call for an external investigation is in response to widespread accusations of budget fraud within the Liberian government. He specifically urged the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) or the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to take charge, insisting that only an impartial body could restore public trust in the budgetary process. “In all fairness, let’s give it to the LACC,” he stated, emphasizing that the legislature lacks the credibility to police itself on such matters.

In his remarks, Bility did not hold back from pointing fingers at his colleagues, suggesting that many of those now raising complaints about the budget alterations are doing so out of self-interest. “Ninety-five percent of those who are complaining are only complaining because they’re not part of the alteration,” he claimed, highlighting the pervasive nature of the alleged misconduct.

Bility further cautioned that if these issues are not addressed through a transparent and independent investigation, the entire budget process risks being deemed illegitimate. “At the end of the day, they don’t want to do it. It is an act of theft,” he asserted, pointing to the broader implications for Liberia’s governance and fiscal responsibility.

The Nimba lawmaker’s comments have amplified calls for greater oversight and scrutiny of the legislative process amid growing concerns over the integrity of the national budget. Bility’s demand for an LACC-led investigation reflects the rising demand for accountability within the Liberian political landscape as the country grapples with allegations of widespread corruption at the highest levels of government.