Liberia-Call it whatever, all is not rosy at the House of Representatives amidst reports of a scheme reportedly hatched by 47 lawmakers to get rid of House Speaker, Cll. J. Fornati Koffa. Though there have been several attempts to remove him, the latest efforts appeared so weighty and pensively calculated, to the extent where the Speaker seems to be hanging on a thin tread. To add more injuries to the Speaker’s nightmares, ranking members of the Congress For Democratic Change (CDC) which has the largest bloc in the House, and of which he is an executive member are wearing Judas Iscariot apparels, dining with their political foes to nail Koffa to the cross. The New Republic’s Mark Mengonfia picks up the pieces of the evolving dynamics in the Speaker Koffa’s removal debacle.
Whether Cllr. J. Fornati Koffa is the Speaker of the House of Representatives or not will be determined next Thursday, the day set aside by the 47 lawmakers who signed a resolution and received whooping $15,000 dollars each for his head, to finally push him out of office.
The rebel lawmakers, as they are being referred to in some quarters, Thursday brought to public glare behind-the-scene developments surrounding the planned removal of the Koffa.
Folks said it is just a matter of time that he is referred to as former Speaker, seeking the mercy of his would-be successor to speak on the floor.
Though he managed to repel two different attempts to get rid of him, this paper gathered the latest efforts are far more structured, laid out and pensively worked out because it involves those who helped him to thwart the initial attempts.
Before noon Thursday, it had been widely speculated that some members of the House solicited signatures to remove the Kru County Representative, who was elected Speaker in January few days to President Joseph Boakai’s historic inauguration on the grounds of the Capitol Building.
News of his planned removal sparked commotion on the grounds of the Capitol Building, the official home of the National Legislature, as his supporters as well as antagonists exchanged words, using profanities at each other.
While the rebel lawmakers were making necessary arraignments, including preparation of a resolution, the Speaker’s supporters had gone ahead nailing doors to the Chambers to prevent them (rebel lawmakers) from accessing the sacred arena.
Representative Marvin Cole, who chairs the Rules, Order, and Administration spearheaded the locking of the doors to the House’s chambers, to stop Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah from presiding over session. Fallah, a ranking member of the CDC is accused of being behind the removal of his boss, the Speaker.
The Speaker is away while lawmakers have resorted to removing him from the prestigious position.
Cole labelled Fallah, the Deputy Speaker a “criminal” bent on jeopardizing the interest and integrity of fellow lawmakers.
He said to Fallah, “You’re a big rogue, you think we’ll sit down here for you to play with our lives, we’ll never do it, saying that Fallah will regret consequences if he attempted to force entry into the chambers.
Koffa is hated, according to sources, on account of his push for auditing the House, as doing so could expose several key figures, including Fallah, who previously chaired the committee on Ways, Means, and Finance.
Koffa has been pushing for an audit of the Legislature, and his opponents believe that could reveal critical insights into House operations and could potentially implicate others, including Fallah.
Besides, measures being implemented by Speaker Koffa relative to the passage of the budget are said to have added more flames to the tension, as others review them as attempts to curb the historical manipulation of budget allocations.
President Joseph Boakai is always at the center of claims that he is the one opting for Koffa’s oust, so that a Unity Party partisan occupies the position.
Interestingly, the President is currently in Italy at a conference, just as Koffa is.
Frank Saah Foko, a member of the Congress for Democratic Change, denounced those seeking the Speaker removal, pledging his unflinching support to him.
“Liberians be calmed, Speaker Koffa is the man, and he remains our speaker for the next 5 years,” Foko assured, adding “We are in charge. Speaker Koffa has done no wrong, and no amount of money will remove him.”
He added, “Our integrity is on the line, and the Liberian people are watching us.No unconstitutional business will be done here on the grounds of the capitol. Mr Boakai’s mission to remove Speaker Koffa has failed again. We are here and in charge” he said.
Apart from Rep. Foko, a lawmaker displayed on social media $15,000 he received as enticement to remove Speaker Koffa.
“I don’t support them, but acted as if I am in their camp to the money as evidence,” he said, and added that the total sum promised them is $25,000.
In their resolution, the rebellious lawmakers accused the Speaker of being conflicted, insinuating that his actions are undermining the work of various committees.
See Resolution
Whereas, Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and Rule 9.1 of the Rules and Procedures of the House of Representatives state, among other things, that “the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and other officers so elected may be removed from office for cause by resolution of two-thirds majority of the members of the House”.
Based on Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and Rule 9.1 of the Rules and Procedures of the House of Representatives, members of 2/3 majority have found causes below for the removal of HON. CLLR. J. FONATI. KOFFA AS SPEAKER of the Honorable House of Representatives of the 55th legislature.
Whereas the Speaker, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa is significantly conflicted with interest which is impeding the smooth functions of various committees, by being the lead consultant and lawyer for several agencies of Government, Concessions, and other private companies, in the country over which the House of Representative exercises oversight responsibilities. These agencies and concessions include, the Liberia Petroleum and Refining Corporation, Liberia Maritime Authority, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), NASSCORP, Citi-Trust Savings and Loan Bank, Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Robert International Airport (RIA), National Port Authority (NPA), National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC), Western Clusters etc.
This violates Rule 45.1 and Rule 45.2 of the Rules and Procedures of the House of Representatives under the subheading – Conflict Of Interest – which states “Where a member elected or delegated by the house to perform a certain task, finds that the case at hand is related to his or her interest or that of a closed relative, he or she shall withdraw from handling the case after notifying the House, the Speaker or the committee of which he or she is a member.”
Rule 45.2 “No member may be employed or engaged himself or herself in an occupation which is incompatible with the responsibilities vested on him or her or is in breach of the trust given to him or her or its damaging to the prestige and dignity of the House.”
Evidently, the Speaker, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, conflicts his business interests with his leadership of the Honorable House which grossly violates Rule 45.1, is incompatible with his position, tarnishes the prestige and reputation of the House, and is detrimental to the common good of the Liberian people.
Whereas, the Honorable Speaker, single handedly selected Liberia’s Representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament and lied under oath that he conducted an election. On February 7, 2024, without the conduct of an election, the Speaker submitted a list of Liberia’s Members of the House of Representatives to the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament to Dr. Sidie Mohammed, the Right Honorable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament. In the transmittal letter which bears the subject: “Election of Liberian
Representatives to the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament,” the Liberian House Speaker lied under oath and misled the ECOWAS Parliament, violating provisions of the Protocol of the ECOWAS Parliament. Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Kofa’s actions are in total contravention of Subsection (a) of Article 18 of the ECOWAS Protocol titled “Elections, Terms of Office and Vacancies” which states that “States representatives shall be elected by direct universal suffrage by citizens of member states.”
They are also in contravention of Subsection (b) of Article 18 of the ECOWAS Protocol. Subsection (b) of Article 18 states that the representatives of each member state reflect as much as possible, the political configuration in the state. Even more consequential, the Speaker’s actions violated Rule 40.1 and 40.2 which are under the heading: Rule 40: Honesty and Transparency. Rule 40.1 states “Without prejudice to the provision of this rule, every member shall be honest and transparent at any time.” Rule 40.2 which tends to define what “honest and transparent” mean states as follows: “No member may introduce false information or unsubstantiated matter, pretending that it is true.” The occupant of the office of the Speaker is expected to exhibit high degree of morality and protect the rule of law but the Speaker’s action evidently reveal that he lacks the moral and behavioral competence to perform in this office.
Whereas, the Speaker, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, during his tenure as Deputy Speaker of the 54th Legislature, alarmingly overspent his budget and was believed to have used his budget line as conveyor for suspicious financial transactions. This is evidenced by the alarming outrun of $ 4,038,687 (actual money spent), a whopping $2,936,159 higher than the amount of $ 1,102,528 budgeted for fiscal year 2023 for the office of the Deputy Speaker. Ref. Page 3 of the Fiscal year 2024 Draft National Budget.
This practice amounts to systemic corruption, continues to reflect negatively on the office of the Speaker and subject this Honorable Houses shady practices by putting a credibility taint on the image of the Honorable office which immensely violates Article 5(c) of the 1986 Constitution of the Republic of Liberia “ Take steps, by appropriate legislation and executive orders, to eliminate sectionalism and tribalism, and such abuses of power as the misuse of Government resources, nepotism and all other corrupt practices.” Rule 44.1 – Being free From Corruption – of the House Rules and Procedures states, “Members are expected to fight corruption effectively by being free from corrupt practices and opposing corruption and set example in any anti-corruption struggle.”
Whereas, the 7th day sitting of the 2nd quarter of the 1st session of the Honorable House of Representatives of the 55th Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, June 06, 2024, revealed through its agenda that the Budget law was altered by the Honorable Speaker Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. A communication from Hon. Clarence G. Gahr Representative of Electoral District 5 of Margibi County craved the indulgence of plenary to recall the National budget for illegal alteration of the Budget Law.
Whereas, on April 29 2024, the 9th-day Journal of the extraordinary session of the Honorable House of Representatives of the 1st quarter of the 1st session of the 55th legislature of the Republic of Liberia reveals that the Honorable House of Representatives of the 55th legislature met on April 29 2024, with the Representatives of District #2 Grand Kru County, Hon, J. Fonati Koffa, Speaker and presiding officer for the sole passage of the 2024 National Budget. A motion was proffered by Hon. James Kolleh/District #2 Bong County.
Motion states, “Hon. Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and distinguished colleagues, having listened to a well-read report from the committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, and done due diligence and taking into consideration that this budget was initially submitted by the executive in the tune $692,408,827 United States Dollars and taking into consideration that the committee invited all agencies that are captured in the budget, for budget defense and in such proceeding, those that had issues and qualms were submitted to the committee, on Ways, Means and Finance and was taken into consideration. Hon. Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and distinguished colleagues, I move if I can obtain a second, that this instrument submitted to this plenary be passed with the following:
That for controlling purposes, everywhere in the (budget) law where LBO is stated, be replaced with the Public Accounts Committee, which is the PAC that has the responsibility to ensure that there is transparency in all government entities, that is to say, that in government spending, all entities be passed as such that all communication there in be accepted and any motion for reconsideration must be tried and tested on this floor. (The motion was seconded by Hon. Clarence Gahr of Electoral 5, Margibi county).
Whereas, the Speaker has unilaterally created new committees and new departments, merged new departments with an existing one, in the House of Representatives without the approval of Plenary (the highest decision-making body) and without regard to standard practice. Committees created are committees on Science and Technology, and Water and Sanitation, while departments unilaterally established are Fleet department, Nursing department, Project department, and Legal counsel department.
The newly created Legal counsel department has been combined with the existing Legal drafting department, the existing legal drafting department was created by an act of legislation. This is a complete contravention of Rule 7.11: “The Speaker shall carry out duties assigned to him by plenary”. The unilateral merger and modification of structures violates Rule 63:1 under Rule 63: Amendment and Suspension of Rules which states “These Rules shall not be altered unless the members of the House have received a twenty-four (24) hour notice of the proposed change. The twenty-four-hour period shall commence with the placement of a printed copy of the proposed amendment upon the desk of each member. Changes in these Rules shall be taken up as a special order.
Any change in these rules shall require the approval of two-third (2/3) majority of the members of the House. The Speaker’s actions of unilaterally creating new committees and various departments in the House of Representatives without the approval of Plenary (the highest decision-making body) renders him administratively incompetent of presiding over the honorable House of Representatives.
Whereas, Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa who was former Town Manager of Zebulon of North Carolina, has been convicted and was disbarred following charges of embezzling approximately half of million United States dollars. Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa was made to restitute some of the money and the rest was charged to community service. To date, Speaker Hon, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa is still doing community service in the town of Zebulon in North Carolina which is expected to be concluded March 2026. Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa is a criminal that has spills-over effect on his current position and harms the Government and the public and as well damages the prestige and dignity of the Honorable House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia.
Now therefore, as consequence of our signatures as herein affixed constituting two-thirds of majority members of the House of Representatives, we hereby agreed, affirm, and reaffirm our resolve that immediately upon our approbation as the below signatories:
That the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Kofa be relieved of his post to restore peace, harmony, honor, and dignity to the Honorable House of Representatives.
That the Deputy Speaker be made to preside consistent with Rule 10 of the House’s Rules and Procedures manual on Succession of the Leadership. Rule 10.1 states “When the office of the Speaker shall become vacant by reason of removal, death, resignation, inability other disabilities, the Deputy Speaker shall act as Speaker until a new speaker is elected within sixty days.”
it whatever, all is not rosy at the House of Representatives amidst reports of a scheme reportedly hatched by 47 lawmakers to get rid of House Speaker, Cll. J. Fornati Koffa. Though there have been several attempts to remove him, the latest efforts appeared so weighty and pensively calculated, to the extent where the Speaker seems to be hanging on a thin tread. To add more injuries to the Speaker’s nightmares, ranking members of the Congress For Democratic Change (CDC) which has the largest bloc in the House, and of which he is an executive member are wearing Judas Iscariot apparels, dining with their political foes to nail Koffa to the cross. The New Republic’s Mark Mengonfia picks up the pieces of the evolving dynamics in the Speaker Koffa’s removal debacle.
