Amid ongoing power wrangling at the House of Representatives, there are reports that more than 470 people were placed on the supplementary payroll under the watch of embattled Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa.
Documentary evidence currently in the public glare indicates that this number, which seems to be the highest number of supplementary employees, were reportedly hired within less than a year.
The available document indicates that several journalists and ghost names are captured on the supplementary payment payroll of the House.
High placed legislative sources at the Legislature also claimed that 100 of those names were submitted by Bong County Electoral District #3 Representative, Marvin Cole, who chairs the House’s Committee on Rule Order and Administration.
“This has never been the case, it has never happened before at this House,” said a source from officialdom.
The House of Representatives has been heavily divided on two fronts–with 29 members of that august body loyal to Speaker Jonathan Fonat iKoffa, while 42 others joined by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah at end of the divide, are in the “Majority Bloc” – the group seeking the removal of Speaker Koffa.
Since its formation, the “Majority Bloc” has been having separate sessions away from the main chamber of House, while Speaker Koffa and members have for more than two weeks failed to secure quorum to conduct business of the House as about 43 members continue to insist on his removal.
Based on this, the head of the Legislature (Speaker Koffa), filed a complaint before the Supreme Court of Liberia – final arbiter of justice in the country. Predicated upon his complaint, the court in turn placed a stay order on the “Majority Bloc” until a conference.
However, following the conference, the Supreme Court of Liberia declined to issue a writ of prohibition prayed for by embattled House Speaker Koffa, alias “JFK”. The Court also lifted the stay order placed on activities of the “Majority Bloc.”