MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Renowned Liberian activist and vocal critic of bad governance, Martin Kollie, has launched a wounding critique of the country’s legislature and executive branches for their extravagant spending habits amid poverty plaguing ordinary citizens. In a statement released on Saturday, January 11, 2025, Kollie decried what he termed the government’s “grand conspiracy” to perpetuate poverty while indulging in unnecessary and excessive expenditures.
Under the title “The ‘CHANGE’ We Did Not Expect”, Kollie detailed how appropriations for legislative activities like “Constituency Visit” and “Legislative Committee Hearings” ballooned drastically within an 11-month period. According to him, the appropriation for “Constituency Visit” alone soared from US$330,000 to US$2,054,913—a staggering sixfold increase. Similarly, funds earmarked for “Legislative Committee Hearings” jumped from US$3.6 million to over US$13.9 million.
Kollie lamented, “Fellow Liberians, you are becoming poorer every day while they are becoming richer from your resources. The millions they are wasting and pocketing do not come from their private companies. It’s your money.”
Drawing from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning’s (MFDP) outturn report for January 1 to November 18, 2024, Kollie revealed that the legislature alone consumed a staggering US$53.2 million in less than a year. He questioned the rationale behind such expenditures when Liberia remains the eighth poorest country in the world.
Kollie provided a breakdown of legislative spending, underscoring the glaring inconsistencies between appropriations and actual expenditures:
The Speaker of the House was allocated US$700,000 but spent US$699,956.
The Deputy Speaker, initially allocated US$595,000, spent US$514,684.
The Senate Pro-Tempore, given US$583,577, spent only US$170,000.
The House of Representatives (71 members) saw their allocation of US$5,565 explode to a jaw-dropping US$9,157,031.
The Liberian Senate (29 members) had an appropriation of US$1,785,000 but spent US$3,448,202.
The trend of excess spending extended to “Constituency Visits,” with the Liberian Senate surpassing its allocation of US$290,000 to spend US$550,000. The House of Representatives, which had no allocation, nonetheless managed to spend US$1,479,913.
Kollie questioned the justification for such expenses, arguing, “Legislative Committee Hearings and Constituency Visits are part of your work. So, why should millions of USD be appropriated again to do your job when millions of your constituents cannot even afford a meal daily?”
Kollie did not spare the executive branch in his critique, laying blame squarely at the feet of President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung. He argued that their refusal to cut back on wasteful spending set a dangerous precedent for lawmakers.
“103 lawmakers are swimming in millions while our people—over 90% unemployed—rot in poverty because President Boakai and the Executive are also refusing to cut down on waste,” Kollie asserted.
He cited specific line items from the fiscal year’s budget to highlight the extravagance within the executive branch:
The Office of the President allocated US$1,156,216 for foreign travel and allowances alone.
Special Operations Services under the Domestic Special Services category consumed US$447,348.
The Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs spent over US$879,498 on “Celebrations and Commemorations.”
The Office of the Vice President allocated US$886,397 to “Special Operations Services.”
Kollie contended that these expenses do not serve the interests of ordinary Liberians. “Why do we need to waste all this money on special services, foreign travel, consultancy, food, and celebrations just for the president and vice president? This is NOT the ‘change’ we fought for and expected,” he said.
In a passionate appeal, Kollie urged Liberians to demand accountability from their leaders. He warned that without substantial reductions in public waste, the country’s worsening economic and social conditions would persist.
“If this government doesn’t substantially cut down on public waste, nothing is going to change,” he said. “The millions they are wasting and pocketing do not belong to them. It’s your money. Use it to improve your lives, not theirs.”
Kollie argued that the government’s failure to address wasteful spending was eroding public trust. “The people are suffering. They keep raising the alarm about their appalling conditions, but no one is listening,” he said.
Martin Kollie’s statement serves as a powerful reminder of the growing frustrations among Liberians over their government’s insensitivity to their plight. As citizens grapple with unemployment rates exceeding 90% and widespread poverty, Kollie’s call for change resonates deeply.
The activist concluded his statement with a rallying cry: “Cut down on waste. Cut down on waste. Cut down on waste. The people are not stupid. They are not cannon fodders either. Use their money to improve their lives and stop wasting it on yourselves.”
