By Bill W. Cooper
Some members of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Legislative Caucus seem to be rooting for national interest more than party mandate as was done during the CDC-led administration.
What many witnessed as misunderstanding amongst the opposition caucus members during the passage of a request from President Joseph Boakai to grant him authority to spend US$41.3m for the month of February, seemed to be a public demonstration that the Liberian Senate is prepared to do the ‘people’s business’ than party’s business in the 55th Legislature.
Some senators who are still enjoying legislative immunity due to the party’s consensus ticket; the likes of Zoe Emmanuel Pennue and Gbleh-bo Brown, were all heard calling their caucus’ Chairperson, Nathaniel McGill, to attention while he attempted stating his unreadiness before participating in the process of vote taking.
It can be recalled that following his election as the CDC Legislative Caucus Chairperson, McGill was emphatic that all CDC lawmakers would vote against the President’s request if detailed explanation is not given about the execution of the funds by the Executive.
The CDC Caucus Chairperson highlighted that in the budget, the President requested US$5m to settle domestic debt, but failed to clearly state the individuals to be paid, and another US$2m for operations, but also failed to inform them in detail the kind of operations he was referring to under the US$41.3m request.
McGill maintained, “There were few things we discussed about the President’s request, and we as CDC lawmakers are very concerned and want these few aspects of the budget be detailed. Let’s get one thing straight; our critical stance regarding the President’s request is not meant to sabotage the citizenry, but intended to promote accountability and transparency in the government,” he added.
But what appeared to be a total division amongst the CDC lawmakers started from the House of Representatives, after they voted to approve the President’s request, with all of the CDC Representatives voting in favor.
The House took the decision following a report from its Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, chaired by the CDC Legislative Caucus’s Co-Chairperson, Dixon W. Seboe, on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
Also, at the level of the Senate, following the reading of the President’s request from the House for concurrence, the senators voted to grant and approve the request to enable the running of the government.
The senate’s vote was triggered by a report from its Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget, which stressed the need for the Liberian leader’s request to be fast-tracked.
McGill noted that there were few adjustments made to the request, but the adjustments did not change the figure submitted by the President, despite failing to highlight the adjustments that were made.
He added that during the scrutiny of the request, Finance Minister, Boima S. Kamara, was invited and provided all of the necessary clarifications and supporting documents on the budget lines in the request.
The Senate Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget Co-Chairperson, Francis Dopoe, said the request is part of the 2024 budget soon to be submitted, and as such, the request, unlike a fiscal space, does not need a detailed explanation before passage.
But to the dismay of onlookers, 20 Senators voted to concur with the House, four against, and two abstentions, leaving Sen. McGill somehow disappointed in his colleagues.
Those CDC Senators who voted in favor of the request include Sinoe Sen., Crayton Duncan; Grand Gedeh Sen., Zoe Emmanuel Pennue; Lofa Sen., Cllr. Joseph Jallah; Mont. Sen., Saah Joseph, and Sinoe Sen., Augustine Chea.
Other Senators from the CDC alliance that voted are Grand Bassa Sen., Gbehzohngar Findley and Margibi Sen., Emmanuel Nuquay. Also voting yes were Sen. Pro-temp, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence; Cape Mount Sen., Dabah Varpilar, Bong Sens., Prince Moye and Johnny Kpehe; Grand Gedeh Sen., Thomas Yaya Nimely; Nimba Sen, Prince Johnson, and Lofa Sen., Momo Cyrus.
Others are Rivercess Sen., Wellington Geevon-Smith; River Gee Sens., Jonathan Sogbie and Francis Dopoe; Gbarpolu Sens., Botoe Kanneh and Amara Konneh, and Maryland Sen., James Biney.
While Sens. McGill, Gbleh-bo Brown, and Numene Bartekwa of the CDC Legislative Caucus voted ‘NO’, interestingly, Mont. Sen., Abraham Darius Dillon of the UP alliance, also voted against the President’s request.
For their part, Sens. Albert Chie and Simeon Taylor, both from the CDC Legislative Caucus, abstained from the entire process, even though there was no reason given for their decision.
Meanwhile, minutes after the votes, Sen. Nathaniel McGill reaffirmed his previous position by voting against the approval of the President’s request, on grounds that the committee failed to address his concerns.
He urged his CDC colleagues to be more robust, saying, “I am not really frustrated in my CDC colleagues’ action because we all represent different constituencies, but as opposition, we have to be united and ensure that the government does the right thing for the country.”
“Because these were the same things those in power preached against the CDC government yesterday, and so, we will not sit and allow them repeat the mistakes of the past, especially so, campaigning on a mantra of Rescue Mission.
There is a need that the administration be accountable and transparent to Liberians, because it was exactly what they campaigned on and subsequently won the CDC, because Liberians in their votes called for change,” he emphasized.
McGill, at the same time, warned his CDC colleagues and the entire Senate to take the issue of budget deliberation and allocation seriously, which, he pointed out, is key to fostering accountability for good governance.
