…Calls on Him to Abstain from Acting until Audit Reports are Heard…
CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA: The Chairman of the Joint Public Accounts Audit and Expenditure Committee(PAC) at the National Legislature, Margibi County District 5 Representative Clarence H. Gahr has called on President Joe Boakai to discontinue acting on audit reports until hearings are conducted by the joint committee and subsequently, the reports are made to him for action.
The lawmaker made the call on Monday in the Joint Chamber of the National Legislature while making an opening statement for the day’s Public Account Audit and Expenditure hearing currently being conducted by the committee.
Referencing Article 3 of the Liberian Constitution, Representative Gahr cautioned the President that the Auditor General’s report is currently before the National Legislature for hearing after which the validation of the report is sent to the President before actions are taken.
“No person holding office in one of these branches shall hold office in or exercise any of the powers assigned to either of the other two branches except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, and no person holding office in one of the said branches shall serve on any autonomous public agency” Chapter 1 Article 3 of the Liberian Constitution reads.
Representative Gahr also warned that if President Boakai wants to act on any official of the government, the President’s action shouldn’t be based on an audit report that is currently before the Joint Public Account Committee.
“We want to use this medium, to call on the President. Article 3 of the Liberian Constitution says, “No person holding office in one of these branches shall hold office in or exercise any of the powers assigned to either of the other two branches except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, and no person holding office in one of the said branches shall serve on any autonomous public agency”. Representative Gahr cited.
Meanwhile, the Joint Committee Chairman has precautioned former public officials who are refusing to honor the invitations for the hearings to desist from such acts.
He threatened that if their actions continue, the committee will have no choice but to give the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) the go-ahead to prosecute alleged corruption cases.