By Gideon Nma Scott, Jr.
On November 16, 2024, the Capitol Building was a scene of dishonesty, distrust and embarrassment that caught the country off-balance and brought shame to the sacred House of Representatives when about 47 members of that honorable body signed and notarized a resolution to retire their presiding officer, Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa.
The group allegedly received nearly US$15k each to remove the Speaker whom they accused of working in the interest of the executive rather than in the interest of the Legislature, presiding over the passage of the draft budget that was allegedly manipulated by some of their colleagues and as well as not living up to promises he, Koffa, made to them in his quest for the speakership.
Thankfully, their decision was resisted by few of their kind who, in the name of saving the sanity of the House, counterargued that Speaker Koffa has exhibited excellent working relationship within that august body and has brought back the confidence of the Liberian people and the international community to them as legislators and the honorable House of Representatives, which they believe is paramount for the smooth workings of the House.
While addressing the issue of some of his colleagues attempting to impeach the Speaker, Montserrado District 13 lawmaker, Edward Papee Flomo (Color Green), who in the name of saving the respect of the Honorable House, was very sacrilegious by using four letters’ words and ma-curse on his colleagues. This is something that is least expected of lawmakers who always saw Rep. Yekeh Kolubah as the ‘bad guy’ and this tells you the level of some of those people who are representing us in the hierarchy of government and making law to safeguard our state.
But to the issues, the tendency of awarding gifts or bribes to government officials especially members of the Legislature to have certain bill passed or removed from the agenda is not new to the body politics of Liberia. But the act of their alleged acceptance of bribe or graft or bribing the legislators to remove sitting a “Speaker” found its way to the Lower House as far back as 2005 when Speaker George Dweh was suspended and never returned to the speakership while some members of the House, purportedly supported by the presidency, received nearly US$5,000 to remove Edwin Snowe. It was also alleged that Speaker Alex Tyler was also removed through similar means. This speaks to the financial vulnerability, greed and personal egos of some members of the Legislature.
From a personal stand point, I believe that coming from the main opposition bloc, Speaker Koffa presents a balance in government and will ensure proper check and balance of government’s activities, something I think he is doing at his level best. With the enthusiasm expressed by some of these very lawmakers at the time when Koffa was vying for the speakership, especially people coming from within his own circle-the CDC, I thought that he, Koffa, would have served his full term unhindered and protected. But the recent resolution signed by some of his colleagues from the CDC speaks to the level of manipulation, distrust, dishonesty and ego that dwell at the top of government.
As written in the standing rules of the House of Representatives that they can elect, select or remove colleagues to and from position when such colleagues do not enjoy their confidence, but that should be done in the confines of the law. The grievances are expected to be brought to the floor to be debated on and if a motion carries it, that’s it. But the recent move by majority bloc of the House, including legislators from the ruling Unity Party, Koffa’s own party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) brought them to public attention.
Receiving or accepting a bribe in the name of gift, benefit or personal attention to perform a task is criminal and I believe that those lawmakers know that. As enshrined in the code of conducts of many government institutions, “An official or officer of government shall not solicit or accept any money, gift, benefit or hospitality from a member of the public except in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Spouses, children or immediate dependents of government and officers shall not accept any offer from any individual or organization that is the subject of an official complaint, report or investigation.”
What interests me most is the many conflicting statements that are coming from some of those alleged bribe receivers like Thomas Goshua of Grand Bassa County who claimed that he did not receive a dime but signed the document to remove the Speaker, and was rescinding his signature on a document that was notarized. And many others, like the three lawmakers from my county, Maryland, who denied receiving a dime to affix their signature on the resolution, but cannot explain why they signed the resolution.
These blatant denials of the fact that some of those who proudly bear the title “honorable”, for their personal greed, received money to singed a resolution to remove a speaker should be brought for public questioning. Their act not only contravene their standing rules of the House, but casts a daunt on their characters. I don’t care how they explain “Tiyah”, their greed has been exposed and the only way out is to apologize to the Liberian people who stood in the sun and rain to ensure that they got elected.
To be true to the discourse, many of those sitting as representatives are not the true representations of their people they claimed to represent. It is a known fact that they bought their way to that House through other unorthodox means such as vote buying, voter trucking, deception, among others. These are some of the attributes people get from politicians who, out of desperation, would do any and all things to get elected. It is through these desperations that they will put their integrity, respect and belly in the wheelbarrow for sale.
This is why I, among many other Liberians, am calling on the public to ensure that those “belly driven” lawmakers do not stand between the growth and development of this nation and the state, because those who are so desperate for money, will sign any or all paper, whether in the interest of the people or not, once something is made available in their pockets.
The US$15, 000 issue is shameful and to tend to downplay it and still fetch plans to proceed as if we, your employers, are ‘stupid’ or have no ounce of right to get answers is an affront and no lawmaker should think be covering up this shady deed with another explanation would suffice and make anyone believe that those who signed that resolution did not receive bribe.
In as much as we all know this episode will not be omitted from international partners’ report, we, THE ELECTORATES, are not just watching but we are equally holding our representative accountable and responsible for their individual actions-explained or unexplained
*The thought of the son of the professional Kru woman.
