MONROVIA – River Gee County District #3 Representative, Francis S. Dopoh, II has petitioned the plenary of the House of Representatives to invite the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to discuss the performance of the budget for the last two quarters.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
“It beats my imagination, that in a country where the budget is a cash-based balance budget, the Liberia Revenue Authority is over performing in revenue generations, while expenditure lines are underperforming as being reported. In such a case, it is probable that there is ongoing off-budget spending.” The River Gee Lawmaker wrote in his communication to plenary.
Meanwhile, plenary has mandated the Committee on Ways, Means and Finance to the Liberia Revenue for review and subsequently advice.
But the body’s decision did not go down well with the Rep. Dopoh as he wanted his communication to be discussed in open plenary.
Speaking to reporters later, he noted that the failure of the Minister of Finance to update the House of Representatives on the performance of the fiscal budget for the last two quarters was a ‘flagrant’ violation of the 2018/2019 budget law.
Rep. Dopoh’s request to his colleagues comes in the wake of continuous reports by lawmakers that their respective counties and districts are yet to receive any portion of the County Social development Fund allotted in the 2018/2019 budget.