Senate Pro-tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence says, the US$ 47,000 spent recently in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County was legal money funded from the Senate’s Committee budget line.
At the Thursday June 20, 2024 sitting, the administrative head of the Senate, Karnga-Lawrence also dispel rumors that the Liberian Senate has DSA budget line and that stories about senators getting DSA are false and misleading.
She cautioned the public explaining that the Liberian Senate operates by the Constitution and rules that provide for one spokesperson and that is the President Pro-tempore therefore all information about the Senate retreat in the public that has been used to target senators is unofficial.
Amongst many benefits from the Buchanan retreat is an agreement to have the General Auditing Commission (GAC) complete its report after a month-long system review of the Senate’s financial management system which sets the basis for that body to move towards setting up the financial management system, and digitization which includes the Senate’s website.
She said, “At the end of the process, all information including publishing the Senate’s budget and financials will be on the website. The Senate is also working with the CSA on employee headcount to streamline and build capacity for efficiency. These initiatives are laudable and we are grateful for the cooperation of the entire Senate.”
The Pro-temp detailed that, Tuesday, June 25, the Senate will deliberate on a proposal on its rules that derived from the Buchanan retreat, and after the endorsement of said proposal, the Senate will have its new rules published.
The Pro-tempore’s clarify comes just a day after the Chairperson of the Ways, Means Finance and Budget Committee of the Liberian Senate, Prince Moye guaranteed the public that, the Senate under the leadership of Karnga-Lawrence will continue to tread on the path of transparency and accountability.
Addressing reporters at a press conference at the Capitol Building on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, Senator. Moye said, contrary to rumors about a US$700,000 allegedly used by the Senate in Buchanan, the actual budget for the retreat was US$50,000.
In Sen. Moye’s clarification, he said the US$50,000 represented a recast budget, which was derived from previous line items (Constituency Visit and Committee Hearings), in order to facilitate all expenditures covering the retreat.
The Bong County Senator also clarified that out of the US$50,000 requested, some US$47,000 was disbursed by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, of which US$42,840 was spent for feeding, accommodation, staff compensation, and security.
