Africa-Press – Liberia. Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe has issued a strong warning to the Boakai administration, urging the government to create jobs and immediately restore civil servants’ pre-harmonization salaries. He vowed to vote against the proposed US$1.2 billion draft national budget if these concerns are not addressed.
Speaking to journalists at the Capitol, Sen. Snowe criticized what he described as misplaced priorities in the fiscal plan, raising alarms over unexplained budget increments and the government’s failure to prioritize “bread-and-butter issues” affecting ordinary Liberians.
Questions Budget Integrity, Cites ArcelorMittal and New Spending Lines
Snowe questioned whether the budget reflects realistic revenue projections, referencing the ArcelorMittal concession renewal and suggesting that expected revenues appear overstated.
“If they cannot rectify the budget, then the numbers have already been reduced,” he argued. “ArcelorMittal has not lived up to expectations, yet we gave them another 25-year concession. The budget is already short by about US$200 million.”
He also flagged the introduction of a new budget line—over US$200 million in cuts to government expenditures—suggesting it raises concerns about how the budget has survived in previous years without such provisions.
Snowe said the amount alone is “enough to address the issue of pre-harmonization,” referring to reversed civil service salaries implemented during the previous administration.
Says Government Cannot Wait Until 2029
Snowe dismissed arguments that salary restoration could be delayed until the next election cycle.
“Some say we should wait until a year before 2029 to restore civil servants’ salaries for political gain. That is unfair,” he said. “There is no better time than now, when we have a US$1.2 billion draft budget before us.”
He warned that passing a record-high budget without improving the livelihoods of government workers would be unacceptable.
“If this budget passes at US$1.2 billion—or even US$1 billion—without returning to pre-harmonization levels, I will vote against it,” Snowe vowed. “I may not have all the votes, but I will cast mine.”
Calls for Improved Pay for Legislative Staff
Snowe also criticized low pay for staff of the Legislature, including drivers and office aides. He revealed that his own Chief of Staff earns “not less than US$1,000,” which he said is equivalent to an assistant minister or deputy minister position.
“Our staffers have been underpaid for too long,” he said. “These are things we must address. ‘Pregnancy doesn’t hide.’ If these basic needs are not reflected in the budget, I will not vote for it.”
He insisted that at least 16 senators share his position on restoring civil servants’ salaries and improving staff pay.
“I Speak Politics” — Snowe
Reacting to suggestions that his statements were politically motivated, Snowe responded:
“Of course, I’m a politician. I’m not a pastor or an imam. My politics is about addressing the basic needs of our people.”
Says President Boakai Admitted Hardship
Snowe reminded the public that President Joseph Boakai has acknowledged rising hardship and increasing commodity prices, and has constituted a committee to review market prices.
“The country is hard, prices are high, and the President himself has said it,” he noted. “If you move a budget from US$800 million to US$1.2 billion and civil servants feel no impact, then something is wrong.”
Snowe concluded that if the government fails to use the expanded budget to improve living conditions, he will stand firm:
“If the lifestyle of our people cannot improve under a US$1.2 billion budget, I will personally vote against it.”
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