Speaker Fonati Koffa addresses various governance issues within the House of Representatives and outlined his leadership policy decisions, which have drawn criticism from a ranking member of his leadership.
Nimba County Representative Taa Wongbe who chairs the House’s Foreign Relations Committee has accused Koffa of colluding with the President against the interests of lawmakers and the country on account of delayed benefits and his alleged commitment to work with President Joseph Boakai in total.
In a detailed response to Wongbe’s Facebook post, Koffa explained the underlying rationale behind his decision-making as the Speaker. He discussed the steps he has taken to address the governance challenges within the House and the policy decisions he has made to ensure the institution’s smooth functioning.
Koffa refuted Wongbe’s allegations, stating that he had, in fact, boldly told the President to stop trying to push bills through a “partisan outfit” and had reminded the Chief Executive of the need for coordination between the branches of government.
The Grand Kru and Congress for Democratic Change lawmaker also addressed concerns raised about audits and transparency, stating that he had been the first Speaker to sign up for audits of the House. He acknowledged the slowness of the process but assured that steps were being taken to ensure the audits were conducted.
Regarding the issue of member benefits, Koffa stated that he had addressed the matter and that a schedule had been developed by the House’s Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance. He accused Wongbe of not attending the relevant session and being uninformed about the progress made.
Koffa also challenged Wongbe’s allegation of collusion with the Executive, stating that he would continue to coordinate with the other branches of government as long as the measures or legislation were in the interest of Liberia. He noted that he was the Speaker of the national legislature, not a speaker for a bloc or party.
