By Precious D Freeman
The House of Representatives has cited authorities of the National Road Fund- (NRF), the Ministry of Finance, Development Planning (MFDP) the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and Petroleum Importers to provide updates on the remittance of levies on petroleum products collected or withheld by petroleum importers in keeping with the Act that established the National Road Fund.
According to the House of Representatives Press and Public Affairs Bureau, the body took the decision Tuesday, January 31, 2023 during its 5th day sitting based on a communication from Nimba County District 2 Representative, Prince O. S. Tokpah.
Representative Tokpah said the National Road Fund, established by an Act of the Legislature in 2006 was to ensure among other things that road assets are sustained and that sufficient funds for both periodic and routine maintenance are allocated for purpose.
He maintained that the National Road Fund is intended to ensure that National, Sub-national and feeder roads have sufficient share of the total fund such that these roads can operate as an integrated network and to ensure that the needs of the road users and those impacted by roads are considered in terms of safety, security and environment.
He added that the fund generated should finance roads and bridges maintenance and directly associated planning, programming, and Management activities.
The Nimba County Lawmaker maintained that the ordinary citizens immensely contribute to the National Road Fund whenever they buy petroleum products as enacted, the source of revenue for the National Road Fund is levy collected from every petroleum product that is imported and as end users of the products, the levies are passed down to the citizens.
“But looking across the country, it becomes difficult to comprehend whether the National Road Fund is meeting up its tasks. Majority of our roads across the country are impassable, especially during the peak of the rainy season. Road maintenance is a serious challenge. Damaged bridges are found all across the country,” he alarmed.
He said the citizens often wondered if the petroleum importers are actually remitting the levies placed on to the Road Fund.
“Since there is little or insufficient information on the matter, it is only prudent that as deputies of the people, we seek answers from the functionary of the Government responsible for that,” he alerted.
Meanwhile, the relevant line Ministry and agencies of Government will appear before the body next week Tuesday.
