Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence has clarified that the recent expenditure of US$47,000 in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, was legally funded from the Senate’s Committee budget line.
It has recently been speculated in the public that the Senate wastefully and/or illegally expended tax payers monies at a critical moment of the Liberian economy.
During the Thursday June 20, 2024 sitting of the Senate, the administrative head of that august body, dispel rumours in the public of a DSA placed in the budget line for Senators whilst terming it as ‘false and misleading’.
Senator Karnga-Lawrence informed journalists that the Senate operates in the confines of the constitution of Liberia and as such, will do nothing to contravene the law.
“All information about the Senate retreat in the Public that has been used to target Senators is unofficial”, says Senator Lawrence.
Amongst many benefits from the Buchanan retreat is an agreement to have the general Auditing Commission (GAC) complete its report after a one-month system review of the Senate’s financial management system which set the basis for the senate to move towards setting up the financial management system, and digitisation which includes the Senate’s website for an open Senate.
“At the end of the process, according to her, all information including publishing the Senate ‘s budget and financial transactions will be on the website.
This move, she explained, is geared towards enhancing transparency and accountability.
The Pro-Temp is also quoted as saying, “the Senate is also working with the CSA on employee headcount to streamline and build capacity for efficiency”. Meanwhile, the Senate will Tuesday, June 25th, deliberate on the proposal to the Senate rules that were drafted at the Buchanan retreat, and after its endorsement, that body will have its new rules published.
The Pro Tempore statement comes just a day after the Chairman of the Ways, Means Finance and budget Committee of the Liberian Senate, Senator Prince K. Moye of Bong County guaranteed the Public that, the Senate under the leadership of President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence will continue to tread on the path of transparency and accountability.
Addressing reporters during a Press Conference at the Capitol Building on Wednesday, 19 June 2024, Senator Moye said, contrary to rumors about a US$700,000.00 allegedly used by the Senate in Buchanan, the actual budget for the retreat was US$50,000.00. (Fifty Thousand United States Dollars).
In Sen. Moye’s clarification, he said US$50,000.00 represents a recast budget, which was derived from previous line items (Constituency Visit and Committee Hearings), in order to facilitate all expenditures covering the retreat.
The Bong County Senator also clarified that out of the US$50,000.00 requested, US$47,000.00 was disbursed by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, of which US$42,840.00 was spent on feeding, accommodation, Staff Compensation, and Security.
