MONROVIA: Owing to the crucial nature of the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative polls, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL), has called on the Liberian government to provide the remaining US$3 million plus to the National Elections Commission (NEC) for smooth conduct of the polls.
In execution of Article 77(b) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, eligible voters will on October 10, 2023, elect a new national leadership including President/Vice President, 73 Representatives and 15 Senators.
The President, Vice President, and members of the House of Representatives (Lower House) will be elected for six years, while the 15 members of the Senate (Upper House) would serve for nine years.
Incumbent President George Manneh Weah, Standard-bearer of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), will contest against 19 other opposition candidates for the Nation’s Presidency.
The 2023 elections are being squarely supported by the Government of Liberia (GoL).
It can be recalled that the Chairperson of NEC, Madam Davidetta Brown-Lassanah, told the full plenary of the Senate (Upper House) recently on Capitol Hill in Monrovia that the Elections Commission is in need of the remaining US$3M plus from the Government of Liberia (GOL), through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Madam Brown-Lassanah, who disclosed that the GOL has provided a little over US$49M to the Commission for the conduct of the October 10, 2023 Elections, disclosed that the remaining US$3M plus is needed to conduct possible run-off elections.
She pointed out that the amount so far disbursed by the government represents 80 percent of the US$53M budget requested.
“The Commission needs the balance of a little over three million dollars to conduct possible run-off elections,” said the NEC boss.
In this connection, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL), in a statement, pointed out that domestic financing of elections is a must, as such, there should be no excuse on the part of the central government to release the full amount needed to NEC aimed at the smooth conduct of the polls.
NCSCL urged the government, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), make available to the commission the remaining 20 percent of the election funding so that the country would have a smooth electoral process.
The NCSCL vowed to thoroughly observe the entire electoral process – pre and post electoral activities including financing among others, that have the propensity of undermining the credibility of the entire process, if not provided.
“Domestic financing of elections is a must! No excuse! MFDP needs to transfer the remaining US$3 million plus, which they have promised to do,” said a statement issued by the NCSCL, under ed the signature of its Chairperson, Madam Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai.
For the October polls, the UN is providing electoral support, while the Government of Liberia is primarily responsible for electoral financing.
