By Bill W. Cooper
With just a little over two months at the helm of authority, the Commissioners and the Chairperson of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) are said to be facing allegations of huge take-home salaries at the detriment of struggling Liberians.
As a result, one of the commissioners at the center of the controversy, Patrick Honnah has since refuted the allegations, thus promising to resign and make himself available for prosecution if it is evidently proven that he and other commissioners are earning a monthly salary of US$15,000.
Recently, the allegation first surfaced in a report by a local media outlet, which claimed that Honnah and fellow commissioners were receiving exorbitant salaries despite the economic challenges facing Liberia.
Exiled activist, Martin Kollie, took to his Facebook page and called for a full-scale investigation by an independent panel to establish whether “US$15,000” in salary and benefits was actually spent on past commissioners or present commissioners per month.
He also urged the government to conduct a full-scale audit of LTA (compliance, system, financial, and performance) as well as ensure salary standardization across all 18 State Owned Enterprises (SOES), adding that between US$3,000 and US$4,000 is enough in salary and benefits.
However, the allegation has since sparked outrage among the public, with many questioning the integrity of the Unity Party (UP) Government and Commissioners, calling for an investigation into the matter as well as revisitation of the salary structure.
But in response to the thumping allegation, Commissioner Honnah asserted on Truth FM Radio yesterday, “We will cut down our benefits. I don’t support anyone making US$15,000 and I don’t make US$15,000 as being reported.”
According to him, the accusations from various quarters are baseless and that he and his colleagues have and are not receiving such high salaries, stressing, “I will resign today if this allegation against me and my colleagues are true.”
“I also dare all of my accusers including Gray to post the photo of my Luxury vehicle and to establish if I have ever had an assigned vehicle. This is an open challenge to all those who are accusing us,” he maintained.
However, he is willing to resign from his position and face prosecution if anyone can provide concrete evidence through documents, video or pictorial to support the allegation.
Speaking on his take home salary, Patrick disclosed that he is making US$4,952 as his take home salary followed by others benefits. He however clarified that they, as Acting Commissioners have not received any benefit aside from their gross salaries receive.
According to him, the previous LTA’s management team that was suspended by President Joseph Boakai recently over their alleged involvement into corruption took all of the benefits prior to their suspension by the President.
“Since I became acting commissioner, I have not had any assigned vehicle least to talk about other benefits. More besides, these where some of the things that we met when we firstly took over.
And these salaries and benefits were also set by the suspended LTA management team and this came into being in line with the ‘Harmonization Policy’ of the previous administration,” he noted.
Patrick wondered, “And worst of it, they even took their benefits prior to their suspension and before they could even take over, so then how come people are not informed but chose to tarnish our reputation?”
“But again, I understand where all this is coming from and I take responsibility because there are people who look out to us to live with hard standard and it is something we are committed to doing,” he asserted.
Also, amidst the claims and counterclaims surrounding the allegation, an investigation conducted by the Inquirer Newspaper has established that the current LTA commissioners are receiving on a monthly basis a gross salary of US$7,861.00 and a net of US$4,952.47.
According to the LTA’s August 2024 pay-slip in our possession, the Monthly Gross Income is US$7,861; Income Tax, US$1,965.21; Social Security (Employer), US$471.66; Social Security (Employee), US$314.44, and Provident Fund (Employer), US$628.88.
Others are Transport Allowance, US$1,572.20 (taxable), and Net Income / Net Salary – US$4,952.47; Scratch card, US$300; Operational Gas, US$1,000; Housing, US$1,200; Generator Gas, US$3,622, totaling US$11,746.47 per month.
Meanwhile, amidst the controversy, President Joseph Boakia has mandated the Bureau of States Own Enterprises to investigate in an expeditious manner, reports of huge salaries being accrued by some officials of government at some SOEs.
The Bureau of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE), according to Deputy Information Minister, Daniel Sando is responsible for overseeing and managing the operations of state-owned enterprises in the country.
