Alexander B. Cummings, Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and a member of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), has insisted that members of the National Legislature return the US$15,000 recently disbursed to them in the name of “constituency development” or “legislative engagements/projects” to the national coffers, terming the allocation as political corruption. He defined political corruption as the use, or misuse, of public office to achieve personal political gains.
Recently, members of the National Legislature received US$15,000 each for their legislative projects in their respective districts and counties, as was budgeted in the fiscal budget. However, there has been mixed reaction since the news of the disbursement was received by the public.
Cummings, who aspires to head the CPP ticket in the 2023 presidential election, without remorse for opposition lawmakers who received the funds, has urged all lawmakers to return the funds to the national coffers for the provision of basic services to the people and authorize such payments for constructions to the relevant public entities, like LACE, which are clothed with public accounting responsibilities. He also called on the Weah government to desist from wasteful spending and refrain from budgeting and accepting any such monies for lawmakers.
“Of course, a government must work to ensure that each village and political district is provided with schools, clinics, hospitals, roads, electricity, safe-drinking water, and the basic necessities of life. Legislators, representing the people, have a duty to ensure that these are provided for and prioritized in the national budget. However, to allocate monies to individual legislators in the name of attempting to do for the people what the government should be doing for them, so that legislators are personally and politically credited for doing so, is political corruption,” the ANC Political Leader noted.
Expressing disappointment in opposition lawmakers at the Capitol, Cummings said, “A wrong is a wrong whether it is done by a friend or a foe. I believe that if I cannot speak honestly to a friend about a wrong, I lose the right to speak honestly to an opponent about the same wrong. I know this may not make me popular and that is not the intent. I have even been told that this is not smart politics, but it sets my conscience free and keeps my principles intact. As they say, it is impossible to be committed to your country, your principles, and your friends, all at the same time. While it is not my intent to lose friends, I will not bend principles or compromise the interests of our country, only to keep friends.”
He descended on the George Weah government for its continued irresponsible behavior. According to him, “Our economy is under severe stress. The government is begging for budgetary support from friendly nations, including to meet its payroll obligations, as the productive sector of the economy collapses. Businesses are shutting down, cost of living is rising, and our people are suffering. Reports are pointing to a rise in confirmed cases of Covid-19, and Liberia could be at the dangerous onset of a new wave of transmission of the virus with increasing health risks to Liberians, and further risks to the crumbling economy. Liberia is not prepared for a new wave, and could lose more lives and livelihoods.
“Under these conditions, no responsible government would be spending wastefully, and with no accountability. It is why it is wrong and inexcusable for the Liberian Government to be spending money to take care of the political interests of those at the top, and not provide for the livelihood of those at the bottom who need to be helped the most, especially as the threat of Covid-19 hangs over the nation,” he maintained.
According to him, the disbursements and receipt by individual legislators of US$15,000 violate the Public Financial Management Law. He said the PFM Law provides that all disbursing and receiving entities, and individuals, must account for public monies disbursed, received, and or entrusted into their care. “This continues to not be the practice,” he lamented.