CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – Representative Richard Nagbe Koon has vowed to slash the fiscal budget for the office of the speaker by 20% if elected speaker of the 55th Legislature.
By Trokon Freeman, contributing writer
Currently, the office of the speaker has an annual budget of 2.5 million United States dollars, and Representative Richard Nagbe Koon thinks the money is too much for an office considering the competing national priorities.
Representative Koon said the cut would be directed to the welfare of members of the House and legislative staffers.
“Members’ welfare needs to be prioritized by decreasing the US$2.5 million speaker’s budget by 20% and transferring it to colleagues’ budget line for their smooth operation.
“Our staff welfare will be our priority, and so a portion of the cut will go towards them”.
Representative Koon told the Voice of America’s DayBreak Africa on Tuesday that If elected, he will initiate reforms for the purpose of restoring the lost image of that legislative body.
Commenting on the security of members, the House speaker hopeful said members of the House are vulnerably exposed, and so he will ensure each member be assigned firearm-carrying security personnel.
At the same time, the Montserrado County District #11 lawmaker said he envisages a much more legislative body that promotes accountability and transparency.
Responding to a question on what he would do differently if elected, the man aspiring to be “first-among equals”, said he will endeavor on providing leadership for a House that benefits the general populace.
Koon is a financial expert with three decades of experience teaching governmental budgeting and public finance, while working in both the public and private sectors.
He vowed to use his expertise and experience over the years to revive the economy for the betterment of Liberia.
“I have been a lecturer at the University of Liberia for the past thirty-two years. I teach governmental budgeting and public finance. I’ve worked with both national and international organizations to bring relief to them in terms of insolvency”.
“I think my presence as a speaker will bring great relief to Liberia”.
A personnel audit conducted four years ago shows there are over one thousand ghost names on the House’s payroll. Koon promised to get rid of the ghost names.
“We will clear off our payroll of over one thousand ghost names so as to have a living and realistic workforce,” he pledged.
