By Bill W. Cooper
Members of the Senate’s Public Account Committee have halted an ongoing investigation with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the National Road Fund (NFR) over their failure to provide proper documentation over monies collected by the government in road fund taxes.
Both LRA Deputy Commissioner General for Technical Services, Gabriel Montgomery and the NFR Officer in Charge, Joseta Neufville-Wento were instructed by the committee to reappear on Friday, May June 9, 2023 with all relevant documents pertaining to the collection of the road fund taxes.
It can be recalled that the appearance of both the LRA and NFR was triggered as a result of a communication from Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence in which she reminded her colleagues that it has been five years since she expressed concerns over the payment of arrears and its use due to the road fund.
She said considering road construction as a priority, it is therefore unthinkable that payments of these arrears have yet to be made, and thereby pleaded with her colleagues to see the need to investigate the requisite authorities so as to know the status of the collected road find taxes.
However, appearing before the Senate’s Public Account Committee on June 5, 2023, both Montgomery and Neufville-Wento were unable to provide satisfactory answers to the questions posed by the senators.
According to our legislative reporter, the both government employees, during the hearing were also were unable to provide the necessary documents and clearer explanation as to how much have been collected and how said funds are being spent.
Montgomery and Neufville-Wento in their explanation could not provide informative details about the road fund taxes on grounds that they are still in a transitioning period.
They argued that there are documents that outline how funds collected were spent but they were unable to bring them along on grounds that the letter sent them from the Senate was not specific.
However, the Senators were not pleased with their explanation owing to the importance of the issue at bar and demanded that both officials remained under investigation until they can appear with supporting documents on the expenditure of the road fund tax.
The LRA by Act of the Legislature is responsible for collecting taxes and customs duties in the country, while the NRF is responsible for the allocation of funds for road construction and maintenance.
Senators Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado, Jonathan Kiapay of Grand Bassa, Stephen Zargo of Lofa and Wellington Geevon Smith of River Cess expressed disappointment, stating that it was unacceptable for Mr. Montgomery and Mrs. Neufville-Wento who are responsible for road fund collection and allocation to be unprepared at the same time for a hearing intended to discuss their roles and this crucial aspect of national development.
The Senators also questioned the effectiveness of both the LRA and NFR in effectively carrying out their respective responsibility and hoped that the two officials will come fully prepared on Friday with all necessary documents and information.
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