By Grace Q. Bryant
Speaker Fonati Koffa has issued a warning regarding the actions of absentee members of the House who have reportedly organized unauthorized committees to conduct budget hearings.
The Speaker called such actions inconsistent with the recent Supreme Court ruling in the case, “In Re the Constitutionality of Certain Members of the House of Representatives,” handed down on December 6, 2024.
The Supreme Court’s decision, Speaker Koffa emphasized, reinforces the authority of the duly constituted leadership of the House to oversee legislative processes, including budget hearings.
“All spending entities are hereby advised not to honor any invitation or appear for any hearing not scheduled by Rep. Dixon Seboe, Chairman of Ways, Means, and Finance,” the Speaker emphasized.
He stressed, “Any sittings or actions to the contrary will be ultra vires, and no decision taken therefrom will be cognizable at law.”
Fonati has expressed concern that the actions of the absent members could undermine the rule of law and disrupt legislative order.
Speaker Koffa urged lawmakers to seek clarification on the Supreme Court’s decision from competent legal authorities instead of engaging in actions that might contravene the Court’s ruling.
However, the Speaker also extended an olive branch to all members of the House, calling on them to attend the next legislative session scheduled for Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
“This session will be a crucial moment for us to resolve this impasse and resume the vital work of serving the Liberian people. Let us prioritize unity, legality, and our shared responsibility to the citizens of Liberia,” he said.
However, the Legislative Budget Office (LBO) of the 55th Legislature has released a calendar of events for the draft 2025 National budget hearing with ministries and agencies.
According to the announcement, the revenue component of the budget kicks off today, December 9, 2024, in the conference room of the first-floor, with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) the National Port Authority as well as the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), taking the stand before the Ways, Means and Finance Committee of the House of Representatives.
