Monrovia (LINA) – As part of efforts to resuscitate Liberia’s ailing economy, three members of the Liberian Senate has recommended a review of the benefits of top officials with the intent to effect a 25 percent reduction.
The officials are the President, Vice President, Speaker, President Pro-Tempore and Chief Justice.
The Senators, who include Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Morris Saytumah and Armah Jallah of Grand Bassa, Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties respectively, proposed that the 25% cut should also affect Associate Justices of the Supreme Court Legislators, Ministers, Deputy and Assistant Ministers, Heads of Public Corporation as well as Directors and Commissioners.
The Senators, in a communication containing the recommendations, also proposed that the Ways, Means and Finance Committee and the Ministry of Finance immediately start an extensive and comprehensive review of expenditure, with the goal of streamlining to meet important development targets.
They also recommended that – “There should be no purchase of vehicles for any official of government or any government institution, except the security sector and the National Elections Commission until a new government is inducted in 2018.
The Senators also want the Liberian Senate to set up a team to meet with heads of the business community (Liberian and foreign), to discuss the challenges and proffer recommendations to improve the economy.
Among other recommendations, the Senators wants all inactive Agencies of Government be dissolved to save money for key institutions.
They added: “That the Finance Minister (should) derive a formula for all public corporations to provide additional support at the end of their calendar year for excess liquidity.
The recommendations from the three senators, followed recent visit by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and a team of cabinet ministers at the Capitol Building during which legislators were briefed about the declining state of the nation’s economy.
Meanwhile, the Liberian Senate has received the recommendations and forwarded it to the relevant committees which are expected to make further recommendations to the body in one week.