Liberia: Pro-Tem Chie: “Senate Has Noticed Sluggishness in Economy”
Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Tugbe Chie presided over the Senate’s decision, which was made on Tuesday, September 5, at the conclusion of the Special Legislative Session called for by President Weah.
….Vehemently denies logistics support to Unity Party; says he remains a committed member of CDC
Pro-Tempore Albert Chie has disclosed that the Senate has noticed sluggishness in the economy since the enactment of the fiscal year 2023 budget.
“Since the 2023 National Budget was enacted into law, the Senate has noted signs of a bit of sluggishness in the economy leading to challenges that include depreciation in the exchange rate, little struggle completing payment of salaries on time, as well as agencies and institutions complaining of delays in getting funds for their various activities and programs,” Chie said.
He added that he had discussed the matter with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the International Monetary Fund.
“It has been noted that the Liberia Revenue Authority has not been meeting their quarterly targets. The IMF has also indicated that revenue from Customs is not performing despite the increase in the volumes of imports,” the Pro-Tem noted.
Chie, a Senator for Grand Kru County who is seeking reelection in the October 2023 polls, noted that slowness in the economy is not unusual in an election year in developing countries, due to many factors associated with elections, including the laissez-faire attitude of taxpayers.
He disclosed that the Executive and Legislature are currently working together to remedy the economic challenges and are hopeful that by the end of July, significant progress will be made.
Some of the measures that may have to be taken quickly, according to Chie, are to cancel some of the incentive agreements which have been entered into between the government and some private entities, most especially the ones without legislative ratification; and cancel certain duty-free privileges, especially on fuel.
“There is a forecast of a finance gap in the 2023 National Budget in the tone of approximately US$44 million and there are plans to prepare and enact a recast budget in order to cut spending,” the Pro-Tem warned.
Meanwhile, Protemp has also disclosed that the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS ) has written the Senate and indicated that the final census results will be available by the end of June 2023.
Chie also reacted to recent reports that he had purchased a fleet of vehicles for the opposition Unity Party, saying the information is “totally untrue, baseless, and unfounded.”
“These lies are said to have started as the result of panic by some persons when information was posted on social media that the Unity Party had acquired 15 pickups and 73 motorbikes.
“This situation is now being exploited by some opportunists who are constantly placing more inciting information on social media to confuse and laugh at the CDC and nourish confusion among its rank and file. The opposition Unity Party is quite aware that I have made no donation to its institution,” Chie asserted.
He further challenged anyone in the country to provide evidence that he has made a donation of vehicles or any item, directly or indirectly, to any opposition political party.
“If you have such evidence, please provide it to the press for publication. I do not sneak and I have no need whatsoever to sneak,” the Senator said. “Let me state here that I remain committed fully to the CDC and use this opportunity to thank many CDCians and other supporters of the CDC who have expressed, both privately and publicly, that they don’t believe the false allegations against me and have named some of those behind this false accusation and black lie.
“For the opinion polls I have seen, the CDC is in a comfortable position and will retain the Presidency whether on the first ballot or the second ballot. There is no need for any person to panic when there is news that a certain political party has brought in or purchased a certain number of vehicles or some logistics. The CDC Government, despite a few challenges here and there, has done well for the people and, in my mind, our people will give us a second chance to complete the various projects and programs we have started all around the country.”