By Bridgett Milton
Monrovia, November 19, 2024/The fight to remove embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa takes another turn here, as the Executive, under President Boakai, eventually submits the draft 2025 National Budget to Deputy Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, Cummick Chea, who is in the camp of the Majority bloc.
This paper has been reliably informed by some members of the Majority bloc that the Deputy Chief Clerk of the 55th Legislature received the FY 2025 draft budget on behalf of the Chief Clerk, who is on sick leave, and submitted it to the office of Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, now Presiding Officer of the Majority.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai suspended submission of the draft National Budget for (FY-2025) for the second time this year.
President Boakai, who left the country for working visits to neighboring Sierra Leone, informed the Clerk of the House of Representatives that the budget suspension is due to a recent court decision in the ongoing attempts by lawmakers to remove embattled House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa.
In his communication dated November 8, 2024, to Madam Mildred Siryon, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, the President acknowledged the court issues involving the Speaker and the majority bloc.
But suddenly, on Monday, November 18, Mr. Boakai presented the Fiscal Year 2025 Draft National Budget to the Legislature in the amount of US$851.8 Million (comprising Core Revenue of US$833 Million and Contingent Revenue of US$18.8 Million), addressing it to the Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives through the Chief Clerk.
The draft national budget for 2025 represents a 15.3% increase over the 2024 Recast Budget, with a total appropriation of US$738.9 million. The draft budget captures appropriations aimed at delivering on key priorities of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and addressing debt service and other government obligations.
President Boakai urges lawmakers to exert their best efforts to ensure timely consideration and approval of the budget so that it can be effectively and efficiently executed beginning January 2025.
The draft national budget was submitted in compliance with Section 17.1 of the 2019 Amendment and Restatement of the Public Financial Management Act of 2009.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, is expected to address the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism’s regular press briefing today, November 19, 2024, at 12 mid-day to provide detailed information on the draft budget to the public. Editing By Jonathan Browne
