The drama at the Capitol has taken a legal twist, as seven suspended lawmakers have dragged the government to the Supreme Court over their unpaid salaries. These lawmakers, Abu Kamara, Marvin Cole, Frank Saah Foko, Edward Papie Flomo, Eugene Kollie, Alex Noah, and Zinnah Norman, believe they are being unfairly punished for political reasons and want the court to intervene.
At the center of the fight is a simple yet serious issue: money. The lawmakers say their salaries and benefits have been illegally withheld by the Ministry of Finance and the Comptroller of the House of Representatives. They claim this decision was not based on any legal ruling but was influenced by the so-called “Majority Bloc”, a group of lawmakers allegedly calling the shots within the Legislature.
These lawmakers, who are part of the Minority Bloc, argue that they were lawfully elected on October 10, 2023, and officially sworn into office on January 15, 2024. By law, that means they should receive their full compensation, as outlined in the national budget. But instead, their paychecks have stopped coming.
Feeling cheated, they turned to the Supreme Court, filing a petition for a writ of mandamus, a legal move asking the court to force the Ministry of Finance to release their salaries. They insist that the Minister of Finance and the Comptroller of the Legislature have a clear duty to process payments for all lawmakers, regardless of political differences.
The lawmakers are relying on Liberia’s Constitution to back their claims. They point to:
Article 25, which says no one can interfere with a lawful contract. Since their salaries are part of the national budget, they argue that the government is breaking a financial contract by refusing to pay them.
Article 20(a), which guarantees due process. They claim that cutting their salaries without any legal justification is a violation of their rights.
Article 66, which gives the Supreme Court the power to rule on such disputes and ensure that government officials follow the law.
What the Finance Ministry Says
While the lawmakers blame the Ministry of Finance, the ministry is pushing back. Their response? They don’t pay lawmakers directly. Instead, they say they disburse money to government institutions based on official requests. In other words, they argue that if the lawmakers aren’t being paid, it’s not their fault.
Now, the ball is in the Supreme Court’s hands. If the court rules in favor of the suspended lawmakers, the Ministry of Finance and the House Comptroller will be forced to pay them their salaries and benefits. If not, these lawmakers may have to find another way to fight for their money.
This case is more than just about unpaid salaries—it’s a power struggle within Liberia’s House of Representatives. Are these lawmakers being unfairly targeted, or is there more to the story? Whatever the case, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court as it decides the fate of these seven legislators.
