Published: September 24, 2024
MONROVIA — Amid scarce resources, especially finances needed to tackle Liberia’s growing development deficits, the country’s Legislature continues to sidestep principles of accountability, often reflected in the allotments and passage of budgets, according to Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh.
With health, education, and other key sectors struggling to access adequate funding for service delivery improvements, the Senate has yet again failed to justify the allocation of $1.7 million for “Other Compensation and Liabilities.”
Senator Amara Konneh who also heads the Senate’s Public Accounts and Audit Committee disclosed on his verified Facebook account that his colleagues’ decision to remain tight-lipped about why nearly $2 million is being earmarked for unspecified compensation and liabilities runs counter to the RESCUE Mission’s ARREST agenda.
“First, I think there is a lack of transparency and credibility in allocating $1.7 million for ‘Other Compensation and Liabilities.’ It would benefit the Liberian people to understand who the funds are being paid to and for what specific services,” Konneh stated.
He also revealed that he abstained from participating in the voting process to pass the Recast Budget because it lacked fundamental democratic tenets.
As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Konneh emphasized the importance of making public the information about the nature of the liabilities, how they were incurred, and by whom, to address any concerns. Instead, his colleagues chose to leave the unexplained allotment in the recast budget.
Konneh further disclosed that the Executive, under President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, had reduced the health budget, a move that sparked protests in the Senate and led to a reconsideration to increase the budget for one of the country’s critical sectors. However, he did not specify the amount of the reduction by the Executive or the increment added by the Legislature to mitigate the financial shortfall.
“The Legislature’s Conference Committee, set up by the Speaker and Pro Tempore, has taken steps to reallocate restored health funding to health centers in Bassa, Bong, Nimba, and Montserrado,” he said.
Despite these adjustments, the combined regions of Bomi, Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu have only received about 10 percent of what is due to them as of September 5, 2024.
“For example, Emirates Hospital in Gbapolu has received only $37,000, while the other 14 health centers in six districts have collectively received only $50,000, averaging approximately $3,571 for nine months of operation,” he noted.
Liberia’s health system remains one of the weakest and least performing in the sub-region, compelling even public officials who should be improving the system to seek treatment abroad.
The Southeastern region, with its deplorable roads and harsh living conditions, is no exception to the significant cuts in budget allocations for basic social services. Lawmakers and a select few government officials continue to pocket hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of United States dollars in salaries and benefits at the expense of the survival of the people whose votes brought them to power.
Konneh, admitting his own past indulgences at the Senate’s Buchanan retreat, declared his intent to stand up and redeem himself from what he described as a “cabal of wasteful public money consumption.” “It is deeply concerning and requires urgent attention to ensure adequate support for these essential healthcare facilities,” he asserted.
He also highlighted that the unexplained $1.7 million in the budget severely impacts the country, especially when the education sector, particularly at the primary and secondary levels, continues to face significant challenges. “Since the reopening of schools for the academic year 2024/2025, shortages of chairs for students and other basic instructional supplies have persisted,” Konneh added.
“There is a lack of benches, instructional materials, and, in some cases, teachers,” he continued. “The Executive Branch initially proposed cuts to education funding in the recast, which caused concern in the Senate. However, after protests by Senators, the legislature restored the cuts. Disappointingly, all the ‘restored’ funds were reallocated to tertiary education instead of to our teacher training institute, which is crucial for supporting the primary and secondary education sectors.”
Although he did not specify which universities and colleges benefited from the reallocated funds, he noted that the decision to allocate ‘restored’ funds to specific institutions has raised questions.
He also criticized the proposed budgetary cuts to the agriculture, energy, and environmental sectors, highlighting their essential roles in the country’s food security and economic development. “These sectors play a critical role in food security and fueling the economy, and cutting their funding could have negative consequences,” Konneh remarked.
According to Konneh, limiting allocations to the energy sector could restrict the capabilities of organizations like the Liberia Electricity Corporation and the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency to provide stable and affordable electricity, essential for supporting businesses and households and boosting domestic revenues.
“This could lead to increased challenges for businesses and families, potentially resulting in greater reliance on imported foods and generators that pollute the environment,” he further pointed out.
Konneh called on his colleagues to give immediate attention to these growing issues that threaten the development and sustainability of adequate service delivery at all levels. “Without adequate access to essential medicines, more lives are at risk. Many children cannot attend public schools due to a lack of resources, and their families cannot afford private education. Addressing these challenges and ensuring inclusive and equitable development for all our constituents is essential,” he continued.
He remains critical of the Recast Budget’s transparency. “How can we oversee the passage of a non-transparent budget after the previous alteration scandal? Are we committed to good governance, or have we given up on our country?” Konneh lamented the current hardships, which, he believes, fall far short of the expectations 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. He urged his colleagues who think he is becoming too critical of the government to read his post with objective minds and consider the desperation in the public for the change they voted for.
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