Liberia: Rep. Samuel Kogar Blasts House Speaker Chambers Over Unjust Handling of Session

Capitol Hill, Monrovia – Representative Samuel Kogar (District #5, Nimba County) has denounced House Speaker Bhofal Chambers for ‘illegally handling’ proceedings at the House of Representatives.

Rep. Kogar’s comments followed Speaker Chambers’ decision to cease a communication sent to plenary by the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah.

Mr. Tweah had written members of the House, citing several reasons behind the delay of the submission of FY-2020/2021 Draft National Budget by President George Weah.

In his communication, the Finance Minister stated that the President is exploring all options and engaging Liberia’s development partners to boost FY-2020/2021 budget.

In his communication, he wrote: “We continue to explore options outside of our own fiscal space such as mobilizing additional external resources to support our recovery and development efforts. Delay is being experienced in discussion on options for a bound facility which could free up more resources for the New Year and support the private sector in these difficult times. This requires additional time for consultation with our development partners, which will be formally communicated to you by his Excellency, President George M. Weah. It is our anticipation to submit prior to June 20.”

Following the reading of Tweah’s letter by Chief Clerk Mildred Sayon, several lawmakers were anticipating that the communication would have been placed on the floor by the speaker for discussion and subsequent decision.

However, the Speaker decided to unilaterally approve the letter, much to the annoyance of Rep. Kogar and his colleagues including Representatives Francis Nyumalin (Lofa County) and Dorwohn Twain Gleekia (District #6, Nimba County).

“You are presiding and you are proceeding wrongly and it is illegal. You have been behaving like this for sometimes now and you must desist. I think we have graduated from the Sirleaf’s time and it is about time for us to be constructively vocal on these national issues,” Rep. Kogar scolded Speaker chambers.

Turing to his colleagues, he said “Our silence doesn’t mean that we are stupid. This man needs to be told of his wrong doing.”

However, Speaker Chambers insisted that Minister Tweah’s letter was done out of courtesy to the House, but he was not the appropriate authority to address them.

The Speaker continues to come under staunch criticisms by some of his colleagues who accused him of conducting the affairs of the House of Representatives at the will of the Executive.