Doloquee
In a bold move aimed at enforcing accountability and transparency, Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah, has sent shockwaves through the government by threatening to withhold the salaries of head ministers.
Alleging their failure to submit essential budget performance reports to his office, Minister Tweah has taken a firm stance, vowing to take decisive action against those who neglect their responsibilities.
“I didn’t make that law; it’s the legislature and it says the Minister of Finance will hold back salaries of officials, who failed to report for the budget given their various institutions”, said Minister Tweah.
On a significant day marked by the signing of four substantial financing agreements between the Government of Liberia and the European Union, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah, issued a stern warning. With a resolute tone, Minister Tweah unveiled his intention to exercise the powers granted to him by Liberia’s Public Financial Management Law.
He declared that officials who fail to furnish financial reports detailing the allotments received through the national budget will face the severe consequence of withheld salaries. This authoritative move underscores Minister Tweah’s unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability within the government’s financial framework.
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“Our President declared last year and this year as a year of governance, so we are working to ensure all government ministries, agencies and commissions are in tight; it’s against this call that we are making sure that government entities that received public funds must account for them and report in time.”
The minister says financial reporting has become a challenge, and all ministries have to report on time, adding that the law says if a minister is not reporting on time, his or her salary would be withheld.
“If there are government entities not reporting, the Minister will hold your salary; we will enforce this law, now it’s my responsibility as finance minister to implement the PFM law”, Tweah underscores.
The Government of Liberia and the European Union (EU) on Monday, June 5, signed a US$88 million package to support various public programs here, as both parties begin a new phase of partnership.
The signing took place in the context of the 50th Anniversary of EU- Liberia relations.
