By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
Nimba County District #9 Representative Taa Z. Wongbe has intensified pressure on the leadership of the House of Representatives, accusing Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah of failing to account for more than US$5 million earmarked for constituency development projects, a dispute that now threatens to deepen divisions within the 55th Legislature.
In an open letter addressed to Deputy Speaker Fallah, Wongbe rejected assertions that lawmakers raising concerns about the ongoing crisis are motivated by personal benefits, describing such claims as misleading and an attempt to divert public attention from serious questions surrounding the management of public funds.
The lawmaker said the core issue is not individual privileges or lawmakers’ compensation, but the whereabouts and management of millions of dollars allocated for district development initiatives across the country.
“I am particularly concerned that your statement presents the current crisis as though lawmakers have abandoned their responsibilities because they are impatiently waiting for their personal benefits,” Wongbe wrote. “The disagreement concerns serious questions about the management of public resources, including over US$5 million associated with lawmakers’ constituency project funds.”
According to Wongbe, the funds in question were intended to support critical development needs in communities, including road rehabilitation, construction of classrooms, provision of school furniture, support to health facilities, and other local infrastructure projects.
He argued that lawmakers and their constituents deserve a full explanation regarding the status of the funds, including details on how much was appropriated, what amount was released, where the money was deposited, and whether any expenditures were authorized outside of the projects originally approved.
“The question is no longer simply when the money will come,” he stated. “The question is what happened to the money, who authorized its use, and where is the accounting?”
Wongbe further emphasized that constituency development funds are not paid directly to legislators but are typically managed through the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) for implementation of approved projects.
He maintained that until detailed financial records are made available, concerns about the missing funds will persist.
“Public money cannot simply disappear into explanations, promises, or private assurances,” he wrote. “Every dollar must be accounted for.”
The Nimba lawmaker also dismissed suggestions that the recent distribution of legislative vehicles to selected lawmakers could ease mounting concerns over financial accountability within the House.
According to him, vehicle allocations do not address the substantive questions being raised about public funds and institutional governance.
He alleged that some lawmakers viewed the allocations as an attempt to quiet growing criticism regarding the management of district development funds. Wongbe further pointed to the reported boycott by nearly 50 lawmakers of a recent flag-hoisting ceremony as evidence of widening dissatisfaction within the House.
Beyond the disputed US$5 million, Wongbe identified several additional issues that he said require immediate scrutiny. These include alleged unexplained deductions affecting members, concerns over financial arrangements reportedly characterized as loans or credits, and questions regarding the formulation of the proposed 2026 supplementary budget without adequate consultation with plenary.
“These issues deserve formal examination,” he asserted. “We cannot exercise meaningful oversight over the Executive while leaving serious questions about the management of our own institution unanswered.”
The lawmaker warned that failure to address the concerns could damage both the credibility of the House of Representatives and the broader image of the Liberian government.
He referenced controversies that emerged during the 54th Legislature regarding budgetary discrepancies, arguing that lawmakers should avoid repeating mistakes that previously attracted public criticism and international attention.
Wongbe also questioned reports of mediation efforts involving Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, expressing concern over what he described as executive involvement in an internal legislative dispute.
He challenged House leaders to provide clarity on whether President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has been formally briefed on the allegations surrounding the disputed funds and whether development partners and international stakeholders are aware of the situation.
Despite the growing public dispute, Wongbe insisted his objective is accountability rather than confrontation.
He said lawmakers have a constitutional obligation to represent their constituents and ensure that public resources are managed transparently and responsibly.
“We are elected representatives, not children waiting to be reassured that our district benefits will eventually arrive,” he stated. “We are accountable to our constituents, just as the leadership of the House is accountable to its members and to the Liberian people.”
Concluding his letter, Wongbe called on House leadership to provide a full accounting of the disputed funds, address lawmakers’ grievances, and restore trust within the institution.
“Enough of the promises. Enough of the selective explanations. Enough of the divisions,” he declared. “Let us account for the money, address the grievances, restore trust, and get on with the people’s business.”
The allegations have added a new dimension to the ongoing tensions within the House of Representatives, where questions of financial transparency, internal governance, and legislative unity continue to dominate political discussions.
House leadership has yet to publicly respond in detail to the specific allegations raised by the Nimba County lawmaker regarding the reported US$5 million constituency development funds.
