House passes 2024 Calendar Budget At US$ US$743,859,827

Following some rigorous scrutiny of the 2024 Draft National Budget for the calendar year 2024, the House of Representatives has passed the budget at an adjustment of US$743,859,827.

The passage of the budget comes on the heel of the report of the House Committee on Ways, Means and Finance on the draft instrument, which was crafted by the Executive Branch of government at an envelope of US$692,408,827.

The House's Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, as per its mandate of Plenary, conducted a vigorous and thorough scrutiny of the Draft Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 beginning with the Revenue Envelope.

The Committee then conducted hearing with all major revenue generating agencies including State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to include, Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), National Port Authority (NPA), Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and other revenue generating Ministries, Agencies and Commissions.

Accordingly, following the submission, debates and all consultations, the Committee concluded a revenue envelope of US$743,859,827 as follows

Following the submission of report by the Committee and subsequent deliberation on the instrument, all 60 lawmakers present in session voted for the passage of the budget with no counter vote and no abstinence.

Following the passage, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sen. Cllr. J. Fonati expressed satisfaction over the passage of the 2024 Budget at US$738.8m.

“The vote is carried, the budget is adopted. I want to thank my colleagues for the work you have put into this. I congratulate the Ways, Means Finance Committee. I urged the Public Account Committee to continue vigilant monitoring of expenditure under this budget to give our people the proper transparency and accountability that we need in public expenditure,” said the House Speaker.

Immediately following the passage of the budget by the House, it was submitted to the Liberian Senate for deliberation and subsequent concurrence if need be. It is expected that with the work done collaboratively in the past, the budget will sail through the doors of the Liberian Senate without any further hindrance.

In remarks, the Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, Montserrado County Electoral District #16 Representative, Dixon W. Seboe, craved the Senate’s indulgence to concur with the House for smooth government’s operation as the budget is the governing policy for development.