Finance Minister Rejects US$3.9M By-Election Budget – Says Elections Insignificant

Monrovia – Although Bong and Montserrado Counties constitute 45 percent of the total number of voters in Liberia, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning has termed the pending by-elections in the two counties as “not necessary” for the National Election Commission to use US$3.9 million to conduct the polls.

Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]

Minister Samuel Tweah, addressing journalists at the Ministry of Information press briefing on Friday March 16, said the Ministry of Finance will rigorously scrutinize every budget emanating from every government’s spending entities. 

“To spend money on election that is not necessary is like taking away money from John F. Kennedy Hospital,” he said. 

“To have 3.9 million United States dollars on election is not going to happen.” 

The Chairman of the National Election Commission, Jerome Korkoya, recently expressed concern that the Ministry of Finance was not responding to the budget intended to run the two by-elections, adding that the Commission is in a position of uncertainty. 

But Minister Tweah argues that NEC already has trained staffs that are capable of conducting the pending by-elections, citing the experience they have acquired during the 2017 election. 

“So, my budget people have worked and they think that US$1.2 million can hold the election. Some estimates say US$1.5 million should be (able to hold the election), but we are going to have a discussion with the National Election Commission and we are going to say this is the pro-poor election budget,“hee added. 

‘Biggest Political Will’ 

According to the MFDP boss, the current government has the biggest political will that could change the lives of the ordinary people in the country. 

“We are spending lots of time on effectively ensuring that the fiscal space is directed to the people of this country. And so, if you look at what we have done with the budget recast, we have been able to generate about nine million saving,” Tweah said. 

He added that the President is working with the Legislature to ensure “huge cuts” in salary of the officials of the Executive branch which would help support his “pro-poor priority projects” 

“The truth to achieving development is not vision or plan. It is the political will to solve problems,” he said. 

“So, just the saving that we can do from the payroll cleanup, we can apply those saving to cover the poverty reduction programs to wealth creation programs to ensure that our people get their fair share of their citizenship.” 

According to the minister, the payment of WASSCE fee; planting new streets lights poles; digitalizing registration system at the University of Liberia for the first are some of the many political will that President George Weah is exhibiting. 

Civil Servants Salary 

The Minister of Finance and Development Planning says the delay in disbursing civil servants salary is due to the transitional period. 

Minister Tweah, however, promised that the government would effectively pay civil servant before the 25^th of every month, adding that the ministry would ensure all line ministries and agencies submit the payroll by the 10^th of every month. 

“So, we are sorry you have not received your paid, we hope that you will get it soon we are working on it. You know we are new, we just took paid January 22 and the transitional process had an impact on that,” he said.

“Nobody should be paid after the 25 of the month. We will live by that commitment.”