In Summary:
- Count 3 of a Resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Fonati Koffa claims that he outspent his office budget as Deputy Speaker by nearly US$3 million in the 2023 fiscal year,
- We have consulted relevant documents relating to the national budget and expenditures.
- We have concluded that the claim in the resolution is correct.
On October 17, a group of lawmakers identifying themselves as the majority block of the House of Representatives adopted a six-count resolution calling for the removal of Speaker Fonati Koffa as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Speaker Koffa, Representative of District #2, Grand Kru County, was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives on January 15 this year.
For over a week, the House of Representatives has been divided over the decision of some lawmakers to seek the removal of their speaker. The lawmakers seeking the removal of Speaker Koffa on Thursday, October 19 released a resolution justifying the removal of Mr. Koffa.
The Claim
Count 3 of the resolution claims: “Whereas, the Speaker, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, during his tenure as Deputy Speaker of the 54th Legislature, alarmingly overspent his budget and was believed to have used his budget line as a conveyor for suspicious financial transactions. This is evidenced by the alarming outrun of $ 4,038,687 (actual money spent), a whopping $2,936,159 higher than the amount of $ 1,102,528 budgeted for the fiscal year 2023 for the office of the Deputy Speaker. Ref. Page 3 of the Fiscal year 2024 Draft National Budget.”
Rating Justification
To fact-check this claim, we looked at the 2024 Draft National budget posted on the website of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. Page 3 of the 2024 Draft Budget, shows that the Office of the Deputy Speaker received an allotment of US$1,102,528 for fiscal year 2023.
However, the estimated outturn for the same year as shown in the 2024 Draft Budget was US$4,038,687.
This means that US$1,102,528 was allotted to the office of the Deputy Speaker in the 2023 budget, but the estimated outturn (which is the estimated amount received) by the Deputy Speaker Office was US$4,038,687 in 2023.
Also, to further check the amount, we reviewed the approved national budget for fiscal year 2023.
The 2023 Approved Budget shows that the office of the Deputy Speaker got an allotment of US$1,541,025.
It is important to mention that the 2023 Approved Budget was recast and that the 2023 Recast Budget as published by the Ministry of Finance and Development shows allocations to sectors and spending entities only.
Conclusion
Based on these facts, we conclude that the claim as stipulated in Count 3 of the Resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Koffa is correct.
The 2024 Draft National Budget shows that the office of the Deputy Speaker in 2023 received an allotment of US$1,102,528 but the estimated outturn (the actual amount spent) was US$ 4,038,687 a difference of US$ 2,936,159.
