Bomi County Senator, Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., has formally written the plenary of the Liberian Senate to cite the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, to provide clarity on recent statement attributed to him, suggesting that salary harmonization has been reversed at several key public institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), General Auditing Commission (GAC) and the Judiciary, without the Legislature’s involvement.
In his communication, the Bomi County Senator described the matter as one of significant public interest and concern, noting that recent public statements and pronouncements attributed to the Finance Minister point to a possible rollback of the National Remuneration Standardization regime at selected government’s institutions.
He emphasized that such action, if confirmed, has far-reaching implications for governance, accountability, and the rule of law.
According to the Bomi County lawmaker, the reported reversals raise serious legal and Constitutional questions, particularly with respect to legislative authorization, compliance with the approved national budget, and adherence to existing statutes governing public sector compensation.
In his communication, dated February 4, 2026, he emphasized that the Legislature plays a central role in approving national budgetary allocations and salary structures and that any deviation from these approvals without legislative consent undermines Constitutional order.
Senator Snowe further argued that the National Remuneration and Standardization Act of 2019, which provides the statutory basis for harmonization of public institutions, does not grant the Executive Branch unilateral reversal authority to reverse or suspend harmonization.
The letter, dated February 4, 2026, highlights the Bomi County Senator’s prayer to the plenary to exercise its oversight by inviting the Minister of Finance and Development Planning to appear before the Senate to clarify the veracity of the reported reversals of harmonization; and provide the specific legal authority or statutory reliance under which such actions were taken, if any.
In line with its oversight responsibility, the Senate’s plenary took a decision to forward Senator Snowe’s communication to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims, and Petition and Public Accounts and Audit, with a mandate to report to plenary within two weeks.
