Monrovia – Margibi County Senator Oscar A. Cooper has sharply disagreed with the Margibi County Legislative Caucus and the Superintendent of the County for the form and manner they are proceeding with the US$750,000.00 intended for the County Social Development Funds.
Senator Cooper disagreement came after the county’s Legislative Caucus and superintendent proceeded with the handling of the funds outside of the 2018/2019 budget Law.
In a communication to the Plenary of the Liberian Senate, Senator Cooper said the purpose and intent of the 2018/2019 budget Law are for the caucus and county authorities to have broader and inclusive participation in determining the most equitable and effective method of allocation or application of the county funds.
Senator Cooper said if the county properly proceeds with the Budget Law it will induce rapid and sustainable improvement.
He said with the way his colleagues are proceeding, the objective of the budget law is been undermined in the name of acting in line with count four (4) of the November 14, County Resolution.
The November 14 County Resolution states: “That any other issue(s) arising from the county while this resolution is already in implementation, shall be handled with urgency in a joint sitting of the County Administration, caucus and heads of delegation present.”
The resolution states that in the case of urgency, it should be communicated into an interim resolution to the County Superintendent for implementation as if it had been adopted by that sitting.
But Senator Cooper also disclosed that if this line of reasoning is anything to accept, county authorities should first be able to understand what ‘interim’ is.
With disappointment, Senator Cooper said count four of the November 14, County Resolution has been misinterpreted by some of his colleagues.
He seems to have considered taking measures or “act promptly in matters of urgency in the interest of the county and revert to status quo for appropriate and collective action using the Budget Law”.
The Margibi County Lawmaker further deliberated that count four also said heads of delegation present to this sitting should be a part of such matter of urgency to be addressed; besides district three and four and the remaining five heads of delegates were absent.
Senator Cooper said the violation of the budget Law has printed a bad image of the county and its officials.
Writes Senator Cooper: “I write to request we go back to calling our people in line with the Laws to make their inputs as was done previously, we had US$232,666.00 and called forty-nine (49) delegates now we have US$750,000.00 we only called eight (8) delegates and try to hide behind a clause that violates the law in the last resolution for our actions.”
Commenting on the issue of the US$6 Million waivers by the government to China Union, Senator Cooper said in May 2019, the company wrote the Minister of Finance requesting that the government cancel its liability.
Bong, Margibi and Montserrado Counties were all owed development funds.
He said there were several meetings held with the respective lawmakers from those counties and the Minister of Finance Hon. Samuel Tweah.
He told FrontPage Africa that a sub-committee comprising two members from each county was set up to review the request to waive the controversial $6 million and to requested to only pay 4 million.
He noted that the committee asked him (Senator Cooper) to be an advisor to that ad-hoc committee.
“I advised that I don’t believe we (three counties) had the authority to waive an obligation in a concession agreement, if anything, we could defer the balance US$6 million until China Union commenced work then they can start to pay back on an installment payment plan,” he explained.
He explained that a resolution was made and signed by majority lawmakers of the three counties but he refused to signed the resolution.
“I asked myself who are we put here to represent, China Union or our people that elelcted us and pay us every month to protect their interests. Total insane,” he noted.
He said US$4 million was paid to the Fiance Ministry and subsequent payments made to the three counties.
He said Bong County received US$1M, Margibi County US$750,000 and Montserrado US$600,000, while the central Government retained the difference of $1,650,000.
“After all this humiliation the Margibi caucus, along with the Superintendent and eight so-call delegates from the county held a meeting in Monrovia leaving the two Senators out to decide on projects,” he said.
The Senator noted that the act was against the budget Law of 2018/2019 that says county Council sitting must be held in the county capital.
“I have since written the Margibi county caucus Chairman and the Minister of internal affairs expressing my objection,” he said.
