Published: August 16, 2024
MONROVIA — Senator Nathaniel McGill and Representative Musa Hassan Bility have differed over allegations that the approved 2024 national budget was altered, with both lawmakers accusing different entities of the wrongdoing. While McGill points to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning as the culprit, Bility insists the alterations began within the Liberian Senate itself.
Senator McGill, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, recently raised alarms about unauthorized changes to the budget after it had been approved by the legislature. At a joint press conference held on August 15, 2024, on Capitol Hill, he and Representative Bility expressed their concerns.
Senator McGill directly accused the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) of altering the legislative instrument, labeling the alleged act as criminal. He warned that such misconduct should not go unnoticed by the 55th Legislature. “We maintain that any budget discussions must be preceded by a full-scale investigation,” McGill stated. He added that Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence has assured an impartial and swift inquiry into the matter.
Drawing a parallel to previous audit reports by the General Auditing Commission (GAC), McGill emphasized the severity of the alleged crime, comparing it to cases of misallocated funds uncovered in past audits. “This is similar to how money was mismanaged by institutions,” he noted, calling for serious action.
In contrast, Representative Bility agreed with McGill’s call for an investigation, but only in part. “I agree with Senator McGill 70 percent,” Bility said, but he argued that the alleged alterations likely began within the legislature itself, not at the Ministry of Finance. Bility specifically mentioned that he first learned about the controversial inclusion of a $600,000 allocation for “Karpowership of Kar Power” during a recent interview with Finance Minister Anthony Myers.
Bility suggested that the Liberian Senate may have been involved in altering the budget before its final submission for presidential approval. He further asserted that the legislature lacks the moral authority to investigate itself and called for independent bodies such as the GAC and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to lead the probe. “The legislature doesn’t have the moral rectitude to investigate this issue. Let our integrity institutions handle this matter,” Bility insisted.
Acting Finance Minister Anthony Myers, in a recent interview on Spoon FM/TV, confirmed that $600,000 was indeed allocated to “Karpowership of Kar Power” under the 2024 budget. However, he clarified that the Ministry only received the budget from the President and suggested that the two Houses of the legislature resolve their disagreements.
Karpowership, a global energy group specializing in energy solutions, has been operating in Liberia since the tenure of former President George Weah’s administration.
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