Less than 24 hours before a Supreme Court ruling on a petition filed by House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa against a group of renegade lawmakers, the Joe Boakai administration made a significant shift. The government officially presented the 2025 national budget to the legitimate Speaker, Cllr. Fonati Koffa, after previously submitting the same budget to a breakaway faction operating outside the law.
According to local news outlet Independent Probe, the Ministry of Finance presented the budget to Speaker Koffa today. Sources within Koffa’s office confirmed that he has now received the draft national budget from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. Reports from the Capitol Building indicate that copies of the draft budget are currently being distributed to all members of the House of Representatives, including those in the self-styled Majority Bloc.
This development follows a chaotic few weeks during which the House Majority Bloc attempted to hijack the national budget and pledged not to recognize Speaker Koffa’s authority. On November 20, 2024, the breakaway faction held parallel sessions, claiming to install their own House Speaker after their efforts to oust Koffa failed.
In an unusual and controversial move, the Executive Branch initially addressed the draft national budget to the deputy Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives—who was absent—while directing a copy meant for the Senate to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Deputy Clerk accepted the draft budget on behalf of the Chief Clerk and subsequently presented it to the breakaway faction.
The FY2025 draft budget was originally due for submission on October 31, 2024, in accordance with the Public Finance Management Law. The executive sought and was granted an extension until November 8. However, on November 6, the Executive expressed intentions to seek legal advice regarding the budget’s submission, citing the ongoing impasse within the House.
Senator Augustine Chea, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized the President’s decision to bypass Speaker Koffa, arguing that it undermined his authority. “The Presidency is now directly involved in a constitutional conflict by overlooking the Speaker’s authority,” Chea asserted. “Not submitting the budget to Speaker Koffa is a direct affront to the rule of law.”
Amid this turmoil, Speaker Koffa has firmly rejected calls for his resignation, stating that his tenure is governed solely by the Constitution and the rules of the House. “The Constitution of the Republic of Liberia and the rules of the House of Representatives will guide all our proceedings in this matter,” Koffa declared. He dismissed the resignation calls as politically motivated and unconstitutional, criticizing the breakaway faction for engaging in “non-legislative” actions.
“Resignation is a voluntary act, and rest assured, I will not yield to any majority bloc,” Koffa stated emphatically. “This nonsense where groups either under inducement or otherwise make unconstitutional demands must stop.”
As the Supreme Court prepares to announce its ruling, the political landscape in Liberia remains highly volatile, with significant implications for governance and the rule of law. The unfolding events highlight the urgent need for clarity and adherence to constitutional processes in the nation’s legislature.
