NO FISCAL INSTRUMENT FOR LIBERIA 2022 OPERATIONS AS SENATE HOLDS ON BUDGET CONCURRENCE
By: Legislative Correspondent
Capitol Hill-Monrovia: The Financial and fiscal tool for the proper execution of programs within all branches of Government (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary) may be suffocated due to the absence of Concurrence of the Liberian Senate on the National Envelope.
The 2022 National budget was passed with a unanimous vote from the House of Representatives last Thursday and sent to the Liberian Senate for Concurrence.
By law, the Concurrence of the Liberian Senate on a bill especially the budget from the lower house and as well formal printing into handbill, becomes legal and binding.
The National Budget, passed by the House, was in the tone of US$786M with an additional one (1) Million from initial submitted figure.
The change in the fiscal calendar from January to DECEMBER may slower operations within Government due to SENATE’s stance on the budget.
The Liberian Senate, through the Protemp Albert T. Chie, indicated that the decision of the Senate was based on unsolved problems within the national envelope and other bills.
The 2022 National Budget and the US$800M third amendment deal by Arcelor Mittal Liberia was among other Legislations the Senate could not concur with before it’s special session closure.
According to Protemp Chie, the Senate relevant committees will remain engaged continuously during the Christmas break in order to properly scrutinize the two cardinal instruments before the senateโs consideration.
The Legislature is scheduled to return the Second working Monday in January 2022 as the both houses adjourned today from a special session. The Special session was intended to review and pass on key instruments, which the National Budget 2022 was apart.
In Picture: Senate Protemp Chie
