By Bill W. Cooper
The sacred chamber of the Liberian Senate was on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, a scene of disorderliness when a serious debate ensued the borrowed US$83 million from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) during the 2023 general election period by the Weah-led government.
Already, the act was in violation of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Law that according to the General Auditing Commission (GAC) Audit Report, a report which sparked concerns among senators.
But worse among the concerns were the beef between two senators over the intent by the former CDC-led government to borrow from the CBL.
The heated exchanges ensued between Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh and Grand kru County Senator, Albert Chie right when the deliberated on the findings of the GAC Reports on the two statements by the former and the current Presidents over the country’s consolidated bank balances in December, 2023 and the early part of January, 2024.
Following the reading of the GAC report, Konneh raised some concerns about the substantial amount borrowed and the lack of clarity on its usage; an inquiry which drew the attention of former Pro-temp Chie who then tried to dismiss the matter.
The former Pro-tempore then replied Sen. Konneh saying, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” as if indicating that all governments have borrowed from the CBL and that the CDC government’s action should not be an issue or topic for discussion.”
He argued that the idea of governments borrowing from the CBL or any other banks for that matter, has been or is an old-aged trend which dates as far back to the founding of the country and as such, it was not unique to only the CDC-led government.
But Sen. Konneh did not welcome the comments of his colleague Chie in a calm manner instead, roared in his response thereby elevating the debate to a scene that halted the Senate session for a period of close to 30 minutes.
According to Sen. Konneh, it is alarming for the CDC-led government to have borrowed US$83 million from the CBL under the disguise of wanting to pay civil servants salaries when in fact, the government only needed US$32 million to do so.
He emphasized that such money was very huge and wondered what the previous government did with the remaining funds of the US$83 million borrowed from the CBL?
“Not only was the borrowing of the monies a violation of the Constitution and the PFM Act 2009 (as amended) but the purpose and timing are suspect and the public needs a full accounting of how the government spent it,” Konneh maintained.
Konneh maintained, “Because borrowing and spending US$83 million in less than 60 days during an election and transition season in addition to revenues that were collected and deposited in the Consolidated Account by the LRA during the same period requires explanation.”
“We are not accusing anyone of theft, but the timing is suspect, and only a thorough inquiry backed by a detailed audit of how the $83 million can bring out the facts. Checks were written to draw down on the $83 million. We will follow each check all the way to the vendor,” the former Finance Minister assured.
“Because the words “sleeping dog” mean ‘secrecy,’ and ‘secrecy’ in governance is repugnant in free, democratic, and open societies, especially Liberia, where not a single public service is working for the people; So, for some of our Coalition friends led by Albert Chie of Grand Kru and Joseph Jallah of Lofa to say we should let sleeping dogs lie and look away, is shocking and worrisome,” he remarked.
Konneh blasted, “Because this was the same Senate that nearly threw me in jail for recommending budget cuts to frivolous spending to fund health and education back in 2015 when Ebola was killing Liberians but thankfully we, the few good men and women in the Senate led by Pro-temp Karnga-Lawrence won’t.”
Also weighing in the matter, Bomi County Senator Edwin Snow frowned on the continuous violation of the Executive Branch of government in terms of government’s speeding and other governmental financial issues.
He said, “There is a need that we as Senators begin to take action because such continuous violations by the Executive should not be happening. So, I am in full support of ensuring accountability for the excess amount borrowed by the previous government from the CBL in 2023.”
Meanwhile, following the debate, the plenary of the Senate then took a decision to investigate circumstances surrounding the US$ 83 million CBL loan to the former government in December of 2023.
As a means of ensuring transparency and accountability, Sen. Pro-temp, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, then set up an ad-hoc committee to not only investigate the borrowing of the US$83 million but the Constitution and PFM violation including the timing and accounting of how the government spent it.
The ad-hoc Committee is to work with the Senate Public Account Committee (PAC) to establish how much the December wage bill was and why both MFDP and CBL expanded the borrowing beyond the US$34 million wage bill to US$83 million.
The senators then clarified on behalf of the Senate, that it is not accusing anyone of stealing but believed that the timing of the loan was wrong, and only a thorough inquiry backed by a detailed audit of how the US$83 million can bring out the facts.
