Speaker Koffa battles to hold on as colleagues seek his removal

Speaker Koffa battles to hold on as colleagues seek his removal
Liberian House of Representative Speaker J. Fonati Koffa is fighting to hold onto his speakership following a resolution signed by over 43 members of the House of Representatives over the weekend.
Representative Samuel G.Z. Kogar, head of the so-called “Majority Block” seeking the speaker’s removal said the decision is “part of our ongoing efforts to reclaim the values of fairness, respect, and honor within the House of Representatives.”
According to Rep. Kogar, Speaker Koffa’s removal stems from his failure to discharge his official duties in a fair, proper, and impartial.
Rep. Kogar said “A glaring example of his disregard for due process occurred on February 7, 2024, when Speaker Koffa submitted a list of three representatives to the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament without conducting the required election. This deliberate action misled the regional body and violated procedures, casting a shadow on Liberia’s representation and undermining the principles of fairness and democracy.”
Rep. Kogar, a lawmaker from Nimba County alleged that “Speaker Koffa has been directly involved in acts of financial mismanagement that have cost the Liberian people millions of dollars. He said, “A detailed review of the 2022 and 2023 budget outturn reveals that Speaker Koffa, manipulated the budget to divert millions of dollars to his office during his tenure as Deputy Speaker.”
Rep. Kogar also alleged that “in 2022, while the Legislature approved $1.5 million for his office, Koffa received $5.6 million in cash by the end of that fiscal year. Similarly, in 2023, his office was allotted $1.1 million, yet he received and collected $4.1 million in cash again for himself. Over these two fiscal years, his office was allotted $2.6 million, but he pocketed a total of $9.7 million, an excess of over $7 million that was not legitimately allocated to him but yet to be accounted for by the Speaker.”
Moreover, Rep. Kogar accused Speaker Koffa of illegal financial transactions and called on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to “immediately launch an impartial investigation into the financial transactions that took place during Speaker Koffa’s tenure as Deputy Speaker. Speaker Koffa’s financial dealings are not only illegal but represent a gross violation of the Budget Transfer Act of 2008, which governs and lays down the procedures for how public funds are to be transferred and used.”
But another Representative from Nimba County, Musa Hassan Bility wrote on his social media account, “The reckless attempt to disrupt the balance of power in the Legislature will not succeed. The opposition will cast aside all minor differences and unite to protect our democracy. Led by the CDC Majority in the House of Representatives, we will firmly stand together to thwart the Unity Party’s efforts to undermine the people’s will expressed in 2023 polls. We will not allow the Unity Party to take control of the House of Representatives. As a united opposition, we will prioritize our democracy and safeguard it against any threats.”