By Grace Q. Bryant
Minister of Information, Culture &Tourism, Jerolinmek Piah, has strongly refuted allegations that the Liberian government’s 2024 National Budget was altered after being passed by the Legislature.
Addressing the press at the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism’s (MICAT) regular briefing on Tuesday, Piah dismissed the accusations as baseless and emphasized the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
The allegations emerged after Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh raised concerns about significant discrepancies between the budget appropriations approved by the Legislature and the figures presented in the final printed version of the 2024 National Budget Act.
Senator Konneh warned that these discrepancies could amount to a constitutional violation or even criminal forgery.
In his remarks, Minister Piah insisted that the figures in the National Budget have remained consistent with those passed by the Legislature.
He cited assurances from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) that no alterations had been made to the budget after it was approved.
“We have had conversations with the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning, and the information they provided is clear: the figure of the budget that was passed is still the same, The Ministry of Finance categorically stated that the budget passed was never and will not be altered,” Minister Piah stated.
He further criticized those raising the allegations, accusing them of attempting to tarnish the government’s reputation without any evidence.
He argued that the accusations were being amplified on social media, where, according to him, some individuals were trying to “try the matter in the court of public opinion rather than in the court of law.”
“We are trying to hold people accountable, and people have not embraced those actions,” Piah added.
“If altering a budget is a concern, how can we oppose people who have been investigated and charged, then rather go to court to exonerate themselves? People are making efforts to resolve this matter in court, yet others refuse to follow due process,” he stated.
The controversy surrounding the budget continues to raise concern among lawmakers.
Rep. Clarence Gahr recently submitted a communication to the House of Representatives, alleging that the Executive Branch ignored amendments made by the Legislature during the final review stages of the budget and warned that such actions could lead to further violations of the law.
In response to these claims, the House has directed its leadership to invite officials from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to provide clarity on the alleged alterations.
Meanwhile, Senator Konneh has called for an immediate investigation into the discrepancies, which he believes may suggest that the Executive Branch overstepped its constitutional authority.
Senator Konneh highlighted reductions in appropriations for critical sectors such as public administration, health, and transparency and accountability, warning that these cuts could have serious repercussions for the country’s ability to provide essential services and fight corruption.
Senator Konneh laid out two possible scenarios to explain the discrepancies: either the Executive Branch made the changes unilaterally, or certain members of the Legislature instructed the Executive to alter the budget after its approval.
Both scenarios, according to Konneh, would constitute a severe breach of constitutional authority.
In a related development, Margibi Senator Nathaniel McGill has urged the CDC Legislative Caucus to suspend all budget debates until the $20 million alleged illegal movement in the 2024 budget is thoroughly investigated.
McGill emphasized that budget manipulation is a serious crime, and those responsible must be held accountable.
