MONROVIA – President Joseph N. Boakai has requested an extension to submit the 2025 national budget, citing ongoing internal conflicts within the House of Representatives. In a letter dated November 8, 2024, and addressed to Honorable Mildred Siryon, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, Boakai explained that delays in budget submission were compounded by Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s efforts to prevent certain Executive officials from attending House hearings, even after the Supreme Court declined his appeal.
The communication, penned by Acting Minister of State Samuel A. Stevquoah on behalf of the President, referenced Boakai’s previous notification to the House requesting to postpone the budget deadline from the statutory October 31 to November 8, 2024. However, as the new deadline approached, an unresolved power struggle within the House demanded further intervention and consultation.
President Boakai explained that Speaker Koffa, despite a Supreme Court decision dismissing his request for a writ of prohibition, has urged the Executive not to cooperate with the House’s majority bloc, which had summoned Executive officials for a series of hearings. Koffa argued that the hearings would “undermine the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent for our governance.”
The Supreme Court’s November 6 ruling refrained from blocking these hearings, effectively allowing the House majority bloc’s directive to stand. Nevertheless, Speaker Koffa’s insistence prompted Boakai’s office to seek additional expert guidance on the decision’s full implications.
In the letter, Boakai highlighted the administration’s “unwavering commitment to upholding the sanctity of the ‘three separate but coordinate branches’ of government” and emphasized that a stable and unified House was crucial for Liberia’s governance and fiscal planning.
“The President regards the evolving situation with the utmost urgency,” the letter conveyed, “and is actively seeking extensive expert advice to ensure a thorough and compliant understanding of the Supreme Court’s ruling and its implications.” Until such clarification is achieved, the President expressed a need to delay submitting the budget.
Boakai’s plea to the House concluded with an appeal for resolution: “It is the President’s prayer that the honorable members of the House of Representatives will, in the interest of Liberians, resolve the quagmire in the shortest possible time.”
As Liberia anticipates its 2025 fiscal plan, this delay could have broader implications for the country’s economic management, signaling both the potential risk of legislative gridlock and the strain on Executive-Legislative cooperation. With Speaker Koffa facing mounting scrutiny, observers question whether the House will bridge this divide or whether further interventions by the Supreme Court may ultimately decide the matter.
This tension adds a layer of difficulty to the already delicate process of national budget approval, especially at a time when Liberia is grappling with economic challenges and citizens are looking for stability. How the House responds to the President’s request—and whether Speaker Koffa’s stance continues to shape the dynamics—will undoubtedly shape Liberia’s governance and fiscal future in 2025 and beyond.
