Senate Pro Tempore Sen. Lawrence Vows To Step Up Monitoring & Evaluation Of Gov’t And Agencies
PHOTO: Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence
Monrovia, Liberia- Weah performance in the exercise of their oversight functions has been one of the downsides in the performance of the Liberian Legislature for many years now, which has led to the overall inefficiency in government, something the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence has publicly acknowledged.
Three cardinal responsibilities of members of the Senate and House of Representatives are lawmaking, representation and oversight.
Sen. Karnga-Lawrence has emphasized that the Senate will be more robust on implementation, monitoring and evaluation, most especially with the various allotments in the 2024 National budget, according to a Senate press release.
In the quest of the Liberian senate to exercise it oversight responsibility on Government Ministries and Agencies, she said there will be more transparent process to include the tracking of every program to ensure that the budget benefits all Counties.
Sen. Lawrence added that the General Auditing Commission is concluding its report after one month of financial system and procedures evaluation in the Senate, adding “Our internal financial management team has started to be in compliance”.
The Senate President Pro-Tempro said the leadership looks forward to a transparent and accountable Senate in preparation for an annual audit of the Senate in two years.
With respect to the general outlook of the Senate, she revealed that appropriation in the budget is also focused on a decent working environment at the Senate, noting “In addition to providing water in all bathrooms, Wi-Fi in the entire building and the Senate journal, we have approved two buses for our staffers and have restored health insurance for all employees”.
Senator Lawrence at the same time noted that the budget also includes support to modernization of the Senate especially the renovation of the Senate old Chambers and main building, the Senate website, digitizing the work environment and access control and an open process.
In providing an overview of the achievements during the first quarter, Pro-Tempore Lawrence began by welcoming and commending her colleagues for their commitment to the agenda of the special sitting and outlined milestone accomplishments as the Confirmation of additional seventy two Persons to Government positions which she said brings the number of confirmed Presidential nominees to a total of 448.
The Grand Bassa County Senator named the joint resolution 001/2024 for the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Court and Domestic Corruption Court for war and economic crimes respectively as one of the major achievements, which she added was overwhelmingly signed by 28 Senators and one abstention.
Additionally, she informed the public that the senate concurred with the House of Representatives on the passage of the National budget in the tone of US$ 738,859,827 or LRD$155.8 billion and the passage of the value added tax bill (VAT) in the interest of compliance and increasing the revenue envelope for the national budget.
Pro-Temp Lawrence disclosed that appropriations were made in the budget for programs which includes, US$600,000 as initial funds for the Construction of the CH Rennie Hospital in Kakata, Margibi County, 95 vehicles for police operations in every county, US$1 million for the renovation of the police academy and trainings, US$4.4 million for the payroll of over 2,000 volunteer teachers who have been without salaries for over 10 years among others.
Pro -Tempore Lawrence added that an additional US$ 1million was allotted to the Liberian Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) for rehabilitation and data collection program for at risk youths, while US$ 2million was approved for fire trucks to activate fire stations across the counties and US$ 2.5 million increment to the Monrovia and Paynesville City Cooperations for community and city workers’ salaries. She further told Plenary that there was additional allotment of US$4.4 million for referral hospitals, US$3 million for programs for the wellbeing of men and women in the army.
In conclusion, Pro-Temp Lawrence informed her colleagues that an amount of US $500,000 was allotted in the budget to open the TRC trust fund and US$ 7.5 million to the Roberts International Airport to purchase navigational aids and two additional fire trucks and others, while 25% of the road fund has been passed in the budget law for road equipment for all Counties, says a press release from the Liberian Senate.