-Nimba Lawmaker Kogar wants Houses’ Ways, Means Finance Committee
By Mark N. Mengonfia –mmenginfia@gmail.com
Outcry was raised recently by some Lawmakers about alleged manipulation of the 2018/2019 national fiscal budget that had already been approved by Plenary continues to ring in the House of Representatives.
One of the Lawmakers who initially raised the red flag is Nimba County District #5 Lawmaker, Samuel G. Kogar. His complaint about budget manipulation was not placed on the agenda during last Friday’s discussions, thus forcing plenary into executive session.
Rep. Kogar and other lawmakers on the 15 of October, 2018 communicated with House Speaker, Dr. Chambers about the manipulation carried out by members of the Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning Committee. But they said that since that time, the Speaker is yet to come out with an outcome of the complaint.
Other Representatives were Francis S. Dopoe, II of River Gee District #3, Tibelrosa S. Tarpowel of Margi County District #1, Dr. George S. Boley of Grand Gedeh district#2, J. Melvin Cole of Bong district#3, Mambu M. Sonnie of Grand Cape Mount district#2, P. Mike Jurry of Maryland district #1, Matthew Zarzar of Sinoe District #3, Rosana G.D. Schaack of River Cess District #1, Hans Barchue of Grand Bassa District#1 and Nathaniel N. Bahnway, Sr. of District #1 Grand Kru.
Part of the unread complaint from Rep. Kogar said: “Mr. Speaker, our colleague alleged in their complaint of founds being transferred from the Counties Health Team to private Health entities of some of which are owned by members of the committee and their cronies.”
Last Friday’s plenary went into executive session for hours because House Speaker, Dr. Bhofal Chambers refused put the complaint from the Nimba County Lawmaker put up for discussion.
And when the tension among them was heating up, a motion for executive session was raised for them of that body to settle in dispute.
But the Nimba lawmaker walked out of executive session on grounds that he wants the issue of budget manipulation to be discussed in open session so as to give Liberians the since of what went wrong in the Country’s 2018/2019 National Budget.
Speaking to legislative Reporters after their regular session, Nimba District #5 lawmaker Kogar said that budget manipulation is a contravention and procedures of the House of Rep. rule 40.1, 41.2, 44.1 and 48.7 a, b, c, amounts budget manipulation t and a clear act of corruptibility as alleged by some of the members of the House of Rep.
He indicated that his complaint to plenary which was not placed on the agenda prayed for them to set an Ac-hoc body to urgently investigate what he called grave act of corruption.
This is not the first time for Nimba County District #5 Rep. to raise concern of manipulations.
It can be recall that in June of this year, Nimba County Representative Korga pointed accusing fingers at the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for tampering with bills send for printing.
Rep. Korga said that laws that are made by them (lawmakers) are tampered with at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when they are being printed into hand bills.