–House Passes Amendment to Telecommunication Act of 2007
The plenary of the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, February 8, concurred with the House of Representatives on the passage of the National Budget for Fiscal year January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 in the tone of US$786.587million with public administration, security and rule of law, health and education topped.
According to the Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget, the concurrence of the House’s Engrossed Bill No. 43, entitled, “An Act To Approve the National Budget for the Fiscal year Beginning January 1, 2022 and Ending December 31, 2022”, provides for the expenditure of the Government of Liberia (GOL).
The Liberian Senate indicates that the FY 2022 budget was passed into law by the House of Representatives on Thursday, December 16, 2021 during a special session and subsequently forwarded to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
The Senate has since been working with its relevant committees and leadership in scrutinizing the budget for its concurrence. The US$786,587,304 proposed budget had been presented to the Legislature by the authorities of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
This amount when converted into Liberian dollars at the rate of L$140 to US$1 is L$110,122,227,600.00.
The budget’s fiscal measures lines in its totality captured the following: the social development funds, including the land rental fees, shall be transferred directly to the affected counties; a revenue sharing of 70-30% between the government and the counties, cities, township, borough for all excess budgetary revenue collection from real property taxes, among others.
Meanwhile, the plenary has at the same time halted the payment of Liberia’s gross domestic debt until proper investigation is launched into the allotment process.
In a related development, the plenary of the House of Representatives has passed an “Act to Amend Schedule ‘A’ Section 3, Subsections (F&G)”, thereby establishing a framework for the smooth operation and management of the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC).
The decision to have the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation amendment Act of 2007 passed by members of the House of Representatives was taken on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 during the 9th day sitting of the 5th session of the 54th Legislature. Plenary’s decision was based on the joint Committees on Post and Telecommunications and Judiciary’s report seeking for the passage of the amendment to the 2007 act of the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC).
On January 14, 2022, President George M. Weah submitted to the Legislature for enactment a bill, titled, “An Act to Amend Schedule ‘A’ Section 3, Subsections (F&G)”, thereby establishing a framework for the smooth operation and management of the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC).
According to the joint Committees’ report, the amendment is intended to respond to the many reforms in the telecommunication sector, including restructuring of the “Telecommunications Act of 2007” to conform with the growing possibilities within the ICT sector.
“Honorable Speaker and distinguished colleagues, this amendment will ensure structural compliance for the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation to be repositioned in a manner that will bring more services and benefits to the people, while reducing structural bureaucracies which hinder the functions and smooth running of the corporation,” the report read.
“Honorable Speaker and distinguished colleagues, the joint Committees therefore recommend the passage of the amendment to the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation Act of 2007.”
Following the reading of the report, a motion was made by Sinoe County’s district#2 Representative, Sampson O. Wiah, to endorse the committees’ recommendations and have the instrument passed and forwarded to the Liberian Senate for concurrence, taking into consideration that the Tuesday’s reading constitutes the first, second and final reading. The motion was overwhelmingly voted for.