The House of Representatives has forwarded to its committee on Ways Means & Finance a communication from MontserradoCounty Electoral District 14 Representative Muka Kamara.
Plenary decision stance from Representative Muka Kamaracommunication in which he stated that budgetary allotment should be made towards the purchasing of “73 AMBULANCES” for the entire seventy-three electoral districts within the Republic of Liberia.
“Honorable Speaker, as we all can recall during the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus disease in 2014, our people died under circumstances due to the lack of ambulances to address health emergency. It took one man (Senator Saah Joseph) who used his personal ambulances to aid the Government of Liberia instead of the Government taking full responsibility of its obligation to ensure that ambulances were available across the country”. Kamara’s communication noted.
Representative Kamara stated that as of today, there it can’t be verified whether or not Liberia has more than 35 functional ambulances.
He thanked Senator Saah Joseph for his intervention at the time. Some he believes that the lack of sufficient ambulances is a national embarrassment for the Country and the image of our country.
“Hon. Speaker, as we may be aware that transporting critically ill-patients for referral and/or secure these advance medical treatment has been a serious challenge for our people. If we ambulances for every district across the country, we would be doing an honorable thing for our people which is very common in other parts of the world. As Representatives of our people, I strongly feel it is important that this Honorable House of Representatives under your leadership wisely invest in this project to save lives and improve the healthcare system of our country”. He stated in his communication.
The Montserrado County lawmaker believes that with the availability of these ambulances in the respective districts, the difficulties normally faced by sick people, including pregnant women and children to seek medical attention would settled.
Meanwhile plenary voted to send the communication to the Ways, Means & Finance Committee to review pending the budget submission.
At the same time, the Plenary of the House of Representativesappears concern of the recent appointments in Gov’t by the Chief Executive to already occupied tenure positions. This came to the attention of plenary as a result of a communication from Bong County Electoral District 5 Representative Eugene Kollie.
Rep. Kollie told plenary Thursday, 22 February during its 13th Day sitting of the 1st Quarter that he has observed in recent times the flagrant violation of the statutes (laws) by the President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, by appointing individuals to tenured positions which are already occupied.
He is quoted as saying in his communication, “Hon. Speaker and Distinguished Colleagues, On February 20, 2024, His Excellency, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, appointed Mr.Hanson S. Kiazolu as Road Fund Manager to the National Road Fund Authority in obvious disregard to the law establishing such an office. The law clearly states in section 4.3.3, the following: “The appointment of the National Road Fund Manager shall be for a period of five (5) years during which performance shall be monitored in line with their performance contract”.
The Bong County lawmaker stated that the current Road Fund Manager has only been in office for a period of four (4) months, far less than her tenure.
He stated that the statute establishing the Road Fund Office, does not give the President any color of right to appoint Road Fund Manager.
The Communication further state that the statute further states in section 4.1.1, says “The Road Fund shall be headed by a National Road Fund Manager who shall be selected through open advertisement by the Minister of Finance and Development Planning and approved by the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee before appointment by the Minister of Finance and Development Planning”.
“From the reading of this statute, it’s clear in the letters of the law, that appointment of Road Fund Manager lies in the purview of both the Minister of Finance and the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee respectively.”
Representative Kollie sought his colleagues’ indulgence for the august body to invite the Legal Advisor to the President, as well as the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee of the National Road Fund Authority, to explain the actions of the President.
Meanwhile the House is also expected to communicate with the Liberian Senate to put hold on the confirmation of those appointed to already occupied tenure positions until an investigation is conducted.
