Monrovia – Senator Prince Johnson wants to be President of Liberia, but when a proposal for a pay cut of 25% was brought to the floor of plenary, he walked out in sign of protest before discussion could begin.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
“With all due respect, Mr. Presiding there is money in the government. My salary cannot be used to build Liberia, you go tell Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to give her salary,” he said as he walked out of the session.
In an effort to resuscitate Liberia’s ailing economy, three members of the Liberian Senate last week wrote the plenary of the Senate, recommending a review of the benefits of top officials with the intent to effect a 25 percent reduction.
Those who would be affected are the President, Vice President, Speaker, President Pro-Tempore and Chief Justice.
The Senators, who include Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Morris Saytumah and Armah Jallah of Grand Bassa, Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties respectively, proposed that the 25% cut should also affect Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, Legislators, Ministers, Deputy and Assistant Ministers, Heads of Public Corporation as well as Directors and Commissioners.
The Senate failed during session on Tuesday to come up with a decision on whether to accept their colleagues proposal as they remained split on the matter. Some senators, including Steve Zargo welcomed their colleagues’ proposal call for a radical approach to rescue the country’s ailing economy.
Senators including Conmany Wesseh, Albert Chie, Gbleh bo-Brown, Dallas Gueh and Jim Tornonlah all spoke against the idea of salary cut.
At one point, Senator Wesseh described the proposal from their colleagues as one intended to make news to sell themselves a good face to the public.
“This is just for news making. It is not applicable, even if we cut our salary, it will not solve the ailing economic problems the country is currently faced with.”
The Senators, in a communication containing the recommendations, also proposed that the Ways, Means and Finance Committee and the Ministry of Finance immediately start an extensive and comprehensive review of expenditure, with the goal of streamlining to meet important development targets.
”There should be no purchase of vehicles for any official of government or any government institution, except the security sector and the National Elections Commission until a new government is inducted in 2018.”
The Senators also want the Senate to set up a team to meet with heads of the business community (Liberian and foreign), to discuss the challenges and proffer recommendations to improve the economy.
Among other recommendations, they want all inactive agencies of government be dissolved to save money for key institutions.
“That the Finance Minister (should) derive a formula for all public corporations to provide additional support at the end of their calendar year for excess liquidity.”
A 2016 survey conducted by the World Bank (WB) on Liberia economy states that the continued low global commodity prices and post-Ebola decline in official inflows have created significant challenges for Liberian economy. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2015 was flat, compared to 0.7% in 2014, arising mainly from the continued decline in activity in the iron ore and rubber sectors, which have been the main drivers of economic growth in recent years.
The WB survey also states that there was a reduction in inflationary pressures in 2015, due to declining domestic food and petroleum prices during the second half of the year; the average inflation rate decreased from 9.9%in 2014 to 7.7% in 2015.
The current account deficit widened from 32.5 to 33.6% of GDP over the same period, reflecting weaker exports receipts and the Ebola-related surge in imports.