Monday, May 12, 2009, Monrovia: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted the 2009-2010 National Budget to the National Legislature for their review and passage. According to media reports, the Executive Mansion has submitted a budget for the period which amounts to over 300million dollars, 3 million more than the previous submission. 

	President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Reports from the Office of the Presidential Press Secretary, the budget will reflect increases in the salaries of civil servants and cover preparatory activities leading up to the 2011 national elections, as well as, the solidification of President Sirleaf’s Poverty Reduction program instituted recently as her government’s roadmap to economic recovery and poverty alleviation.

Meanwhile, pressure continue to mount over the passage of the threshold bill by the National legislature who have stalled the process counting the submission of the final census figures from the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-information Services(LIGIS) who reported that they though their submission was preliminary, it would not differ from the final report in any significant way. But Representatives insist that the Threshold bill will be debated primarily on the basis of the final report from LIGIS.

According to media reports, LIGIS has finally submitted the final report to the Office of the President who in turn has forwarded same to the National Legislature for their action. It can be recalled that the US Embassy in Monrovia and other friendly governments, civil society and other stake holders have been pressuring the House to pass the bill at the earliest.

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has meanwhile, sounded a warning that they will not commit itself to the holding of a national referendum on electoral reforms of the Threshold bill is passed later than sooner. The NEC said there were series of critical processes to be carried out and delays could adversely hinder the administration of the necessary processes vital to the holding of free, fair and democratic elections in Liberia, in 2011.

In an unrelated development, Justice Minister Cllr. Philip A. Z. Banks has come under sharp criticisms for expending without Legislative approval. Over $500,000 United States Dollars was seized from a Nigerian national at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) with the amount reportedly strapped to his body. According to Minister Banks, who responding to criticisms coming from the non-ruling Liberty Party (LP) that the incidence of the seizure occurred prior to his incumbency as Minister in 2007.

According to Minister Banks, as the government of Liberia has the right to utilize the amount confiscated from the Nigerian national, in ways deemed appropriate. According to the Minister, the amount was spent on security operations over the period.

Meanwhile, though denied by Minister Banks, reports are that the Nigerian government has made representation for the amount to be remitted to Nigeria since the amount was taken out of that country; a plea from Minister Banks vehemently states he will not allow the government to do.

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