HOUSE CRISIS DEEPENS, AS SPEAKER KOFFA ACCUSE OF STEALING DRAFT BUDGET COPIES
By Jeremiah Sackie Cooper
Monrovia: Tension has escalated within the House of Representatives regarding the handling of the FY 2025 Draft National Budget, with accusations of protocol breaches and misinformation taking center stage.
On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, reports surfaced on social media and various media outlets about the resubmission of the 2025 Fiscal Year Draft Budget by the Executive Branch to the embattled Speaker of the 55th House of Representatives, Cllr. Fonati Koffa.
This situation has further deepened divisions within the House. It can be recalled that on November 18, 2024, the Executive Branch submitted the draft budget for FY 2025 to the Chief Clerk of the House amidst an ongoing political battle among the members.
Critics have questioned the submission of the budget to the Chief Clerk while Speaker Koffa remains in charge of legislative proceedings at the 55th House of Representatives, even as a majority of members are calling for his removal. “Embattled” Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, along with several lawmakers who support him, were removed from their respective positions by majority members of the House in November this year.
This action led to the Supreme Court of Liberia intervening after a suit was filed by the embattled Speaker. Addressing legislative reporters on December 3, 2024, Montserrado County District #16 Representative Dixon W. Seboe, a supporter of Speaker Koffa and the “removed” Chairman of the House’s Committee on Banking and Currency, confirmed that the budget had been delivered to the office of the Chief Clerk. Seboe stated that Speaker Koffa instructed the Chief Clerk to distribute copies to all 55 members of the House, including those from the majority bloc advocating for Koffa’s removal. However, a statement from the House of Representatives denied these allegations, asserting that Speaker Koffa forcibly entered the Chief Clerk’s office with heavy security and seized copies of the draft budget.
The statement clarified that the Executive Branch submitted the budget to the House plenary on November 18, 2024, and it has since been referred to committee rooms for deliberation. Meanwhile, the Executive Branch has denied claims of a budget resubmission, calling them baseless.
“The Executive Branch of Government did not resubmit FY 2025 Draft National Budget to the National Legislature has been reported on social media and other media outlets,” The Executive Branch statement noted. It emphasized that the November 18 submission to the Acting Chief Clerk remains valid.
Adding to the controversy, Representative Foday Fahnbulleh, spokesperson for the majority bloc, dismissed reports of resubmission as “false and misleading.” Fahnbulleh accused Koffa’s supporters of fabricating the narrative to mislead the public and gain political leverage. “The Executive has submitted the 2025 Draft National Budget to the National Legislature, and the Chairperson on Ways and Means is organizing everything needed for the budget hearing to commence,” Fahnbulleh explained. “Speaker Koon has instructed the Deputy Chief Clerk to ensure that every member, including former Speaker Koffa, receives a copy of the budget.”
This unfolding drama has raised serious concerns about procedural integrity and governance within Liberia’s legislature, with many questioning the potential implications for financial planning and political stability.
