Liberia President Vetoes Financial Autonomy Act, As Parliament Speaker Cite Colleagues

President Ellen Johnson has vetoed the controversial Financial Autonomy Act submitted to her office by the National Legislature for her approval.

President Sirleaf said the Act was not interest of the country and people, and was a violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia. In her veto message to the Senate, President Sirleaf said the Act violates Article 2 and 34 of the Constitution.

Financial Autonomy Act seeks to make quarterly disbursements of their budget and would not be subject to tax deduction, but rather increase. There has been mounting public criticisms of the Act which some citizens described as being very “selfish” and “inconsiderate.”

Prior to the submission of the Act to her office, President Sirleaf had forewarned that she would out rightly reject it. The lawmakers argued that they want to control their own budget to avoid the many bureaucratic and embarrassing procedures they go through to get their own money they work for.

But President Sirleaf has said a Legislative Bureau would be established at the Ministry of Finance to handle the lawmaker’s problem rather than enacting an Act that is not in the interest of the state. The Senate has meanwhile set up a committee to look into the President’s bulky veto letter.