By Precious D. Freeman
Finance and Development Planning, Health Ministries and others yesterday snubbed the first day of the national budget hearing thereby leaving only the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to make appearance.
Other absentees were John F. Kennedy Medical Center, University of Liberia (UL), and National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).
However, the Joint Budget Committee of the 54th Legislature has commenced the hearing of the expenditure portion of the draft National Budget for Fiscal Year 2023.
It followed the completion of the revenue generation aspect of the budget scrutiny that saw the appearance of the officials of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), which was held behind closed doors.
In a special statement delivered at the hearing which commenced on Thursday, the chairman of the Joint Budget Committee Representative Thomas P. Fallah said that it gives him great pleasure welcoming all of his colleagues to the familiar forum where they had come come to perform their constitutional mandate of budget scrutiny and approval.
“As we perform this very important task, I am obligated to remind all of you that the Liberian people are eagerly looking forward to deliberate on the FY 2023 Proposed National Budget, the second since the country transitioned from a Fiscal Year Budget to a calendar year budget in such a way that will drive outcomes geared towards promoting their wishes and aspirations with the goal of raising their living standards,” Represent Fallah stated.
He added, “As such, I’m calling upon everyone to remain very resolute in thoroughly scrutinizing this national instrument to the best of our abilities so as to continuously justify the confidence which the sovereign Liberian people have reposed in us,” he intimated.
“I am looking forward to your candid and robust deliberations in the days ahead as we do the people’s business” Rep. Fallah concluded.
