Bomi County Senator, Edwin Melvin Snowe has drew the attention of the Liberian Senate through his written communication, informing that august body that many local government officials in various counties have been working for over five years without their names being placed on the national payrolls.
The Bomi County Senator’s communication was read by the Assistant Secretary of the Liberian Senate, Madam Jannave Massaquoi and later put on the floor for discussion during the regular Thursday session of the Liberian Senate.
Making a further deliberation during the discussion, Senator Snowe believes that some chiefs had already replaced others on the national payroll long time while others who are unknown continue to receive the salaries reportedly at the detriment of the local government officials.
The Bomi County Senator further stressed that the situation to allegedly strangulate the efforts to local authorities in the counties has the propensity to create a recipe of chaos in the country; something he believes if not arrested by the leadership of the Liberian Senate to bring relief to the citizens, will go out of control.
Senator Snowe also wants the leadership of the Liberian Senate to mandate the appearance of the of Internal Affairs Minister, Varney Sirleaf and Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel Tweah to submit to that august body, the full listings of local governments who are currently on the payrolls.
Also speaking, Lofa County Senator Stephen Zargo noted that the matter under discussion is also affecting senators in their respective counties and should be addressed with an appropriate action.
At the same time, River Gee County Senator Jonathan Boycharles Sogbie believes that chiefs in various counties have not been treated fairly everywhere he had visited within his constituency due to the same salary matter.
Speaking further, Grand Gedeh County Senator Zoe Emmanuel Pennoh told plenary of the Liberian Senate that citizens will hold them responsible if no action is swiftly taken to remedy the situation, adding that is important as stated by Senator Snowe, to invite Ministers Sirleaf and Tweah so as to ascertain those who are either on payroll or not.
Meanwhile, the plenary of the Liberian Senate has ordered its relevant standing committees with the Senate Committee on Education being the lead, to mandate both the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning and Mines and Energy to provide the payrolls of local government officials next Thursday.
The decision was made following a motion from Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe during Thursday’s session.
