-Rep Yekeh Kolubah blasts lawmakers for passage without discussion of Pres. Weah’s communication
By: Jerromie S. Walters
Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah masterminded a serious disruption during the 12th day sitting of the 2nd quarter of the 6th session of the House of Representatives of the 54th National Legislature, following the body’s decision to swiftly pass a communication from the President, without being discussed as required legally.
The Communication came from President George M. Weah, submitting for ratification by the Legislature: FINANCING AGREEMENT RESILIENT RECOVERY STAND-ALONE DEVELOPMENT POLICY FINANCING) BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION.
The President’s communication which surfaced as the first of three items of the House’s 12th day sitting, was voted for by 18 lawmakers and voted against by one lawmaker (Representative Yekeh Kolubah).
Upon being read out during plenary, the District #10 Representative stated his unreadiness to vote, except the communication be discussed before being passed, but scores of his other colleagues, including Bong County District #3 Representative Marvin Cole moved that the motion be rejected.
“I will be ready to vote if we can be given a chance to go through this agreement to know what we are voting for so tomorrow the Liberia people can know what we are voting for because it just got to my office”, he said.
Despite Representative Kolubah’s concern, 18 lawmakers including; Montserrado County District #2 Representative Jimmy Smith, Montserrado County District #16 Representative Dixon Seaboe, Lofa County District #2 Representative Julie Wiah, Bomi County District #3 Representative Haja F. Siryon, Lofa County District #4 Representative Mariamu B. Fofana, Bong County District #3 Representative Marvin Cole, and several other lawmakers voted for the communication to be passed.
This left Representative Kolubah and a few other lawmakers in dismay, as they felt that the proceeding was wrong, and characterized the decision as a political one, that was pre-calculated, especially for the fact that the session was presided over by Montserrado County District #5 Representative Thomas P. Fallah, who’s a full member of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
With said disappointment, the Montserrado County District #10 Representative disrupted the House of Representative session for over 15 minutes and even threatened to ensure that the session would not have continued, if they weren’t allowed to discuss the communication before being voted upon.
“Irresponsible lawmakers, you just bring something in five minutes you passed it, it shouldn’t be because you will call a few people to give them money so you think we will just pass documents the Liberian people don’t understand, we are here to represent the Liberian people, so we will not discuss anything else if we can’t discuss the President’s communication”, he stated in dismay.
Howbeit, the President’s communication to the House of Representatives on the financing agreement, states that the Government has taken prior actions under the program: (1) laying the institutional and policy foundation in selected growth-supporting and resilience-enhancing sectors, and (2) promoting transparency and accountability in the public sector.
These prior actions according to the President, include strengthening food security crises preparedness planning in Liberia; enhancing the governance and efficiency of the road sector; strengthening Liberia’s land administration system; strengthening domestic revenue mobilization; enhancing debt transparency; improving transparency in public procurement; and fostering public sector transparency and accountability.
As disclosed by the President, the Agreement was signed by the Parties on June 19, 2023, in which the Association agreed to extend to Liberia a credit in two portions with a total valued at Sixty-Five Million United States Dollars (USD 65,000,000.00).
In the breakdown, it shows that the, “The First portion of the credit is in the amount of Twenty-Two Million Dollars ($22,000,000.00). This amount shall be repaid on each January 15 and July 15 commencing July 15, 2033, to and including January 15, 2073, with an interest of 1.25%”.
Additionally, “The Second portion of the credit is in the amount of Forty-Three Million Dollars 43,000,000.00). This amount shall be repaid on each January 15 and July 15 commencing July 15, 2029, to and including July 15, 2034, with an interest of 8.33334%; and on January 15, 2035, with an interest of 8.33326%”.
Meanwhile, the instrument is pending concurrence by the Liberian Senate.
