By Jerromie S. Walters
In a communication read during the House Thursday, February 22, 2024, session Mr. Bility rallied the legislature to request an audit of the 53rd and 54th Legislature. He says it comes in the wake of the recent pronouncement by the Executive Branch headed by the President, H.E. Joseph N. Boakai, calling for an audit of key agencies within the Executive including the National Security Agency (NSA), Executive Protection Service (EPS) and Central Bank of Liberia(CBL).”
Rep. Bility: “I write to request an audit of the 53rd and 54th Legislature. My request comes in the wake of the recent pronouncement by the Executive Branch headed by the President, H.E. Joseph N. Boakai, calling for an audit of key agencies within the Executive including the National Security Agency (NSA), Executive Protection Service (EPS) and Central Bank of Liberia(CBL).”
In his opinion, this pronouncement is welcomed and supported as the need for audit across government functionaries cannot be overstated. “In this Legislative branch, the Senate has requested the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to conduct an assessment of the Senate’s financial management systems and controls for this current period to identify any weaknesses, after which the GAC is expected to make recommendations for improvement.”
He continued: “Here in the House, we have engaged the GAC through the Auditor General to do the same and take note that, according to an article published in the Daily Observer, during his confirmation hearing on February 8, 2024, the Auditor General stated that the entire Legislature had not been audited since around 1989 and that a full-scale financial audit of the 55th Legislature will be done in two (2) years after they have completed a financial systems review and put in place a financial system compliant with the Public Financial Management Act (PFM Act) and other financial instruments.”
Representative Bility emphasized “These are all highly commendable actions however, Mr. Speaker, they are not enough. These measures being proposed by the House and Senate are for audits of the current 55th.” Howbeit, the House is yet to act on Mr. Bility’s communication.
At the same time, the plenary of the House of Representatives has mandated its committees on Ways, Means and Finance, and Health to look into a matter regarding a request for Budgetary Allotment for Bensonville Referral Hospital, by Montserrado County District #1 Representative Reggie Barry.
In a communication read during the 13th day sitting of the 1st quarter of the 1st session of the 55th legislature, Representative Barry noted: “I am deeply constrained to bring a matter of serious emergency to you about the only referrer hospital in the Capitol of Montserrado County, Bentol City. As you are aware, Bentol City is in rural Montserrado with a catchment population of more than 56, 000 persons (NEC 2023), who depend on the Bensonville Hospital for health care.”
For the last six (6) years, she said monies allotted by the government for the hospital annually were less than half of the actual budget needed to run the hospital and were never received in full. As a
result of these persistent constraints, the lawmaker said the hospital now stands in dire need of critical assistance to keep its doors open and to cater to the health of the population that is mostly comprised of subsistence farming communities within the district.
“These challenges do not only hinder the hospital’s ability to provide quality healthcare services but continuously jeopardize the health and well-being of our district and the surrounding public who rely on its services.”
The female lawmaker recalled that the hospital was constructed in the 70s by President Williams R. Tolbert Jr, and its first major renovation was done in 2012 by USAID and needs urgent attention in the following areas. General renovation of the hospital to include Floor, rewiring of various departments, replacement of door, ceiling, roof work, and painting.
Among others, she mentioned the Construction of Hallways between the Emergency room and OPD, the construction of a new storage facility for the hospital expanding the conference room, the reconditioning of the old Operating room, and the transformation of it into a patient ward.
Others are revitalization of the hospital water system, general maintenance work on the Doctors’ residence, Supply of hospital furniture, Procurement of essential drugs, Revitalize the patients’ feeding services, Training of hospital registrars and other staff in basic computer skills, and Procurement of stationeries/office supplies, fuel and maintenance of the generator. She also included the Provision of a 32-seated bus to commute hospital staff. (Budgetary, Logistical, and Personnel support).
“I urge the honorable Speaker and members to kindly consider this matter with the utmost urgency and to take appropriate action to address the needs of the only Referral Hospital in the district. Our constituents deserve access to adequate healthcare facilities and services, and it is our duty as elected representatives to ensure that citizens receive the support and assistance they require.”
The joint committee is to report in two weeks.
