Monrovia, Liberia: Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. has formally requested the plenary of the Liberian Senate to summon the Director-General of the General Services Agency (GSA), Galakpai W. Kortima, over concerns regarding an alleged increase in the vehicle purchase threshold for public officials.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Pro Tempore, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Senator Snowe highlighted discrepancies between the legally approved budget limit for vehicle procurement and a recent public statement made by the GSA Director-General during the Thursday, February 20, 2025, Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs Tourism regular press conference.
“As stipulated in the National Budget Law, the approved ceiling for the procurement of vehicles for public officials is US$45, 000,” Snowe stated. “However, in a recent public release through a local daily, the Director-General of the GSA claimed that the government’s threshold for vehicle purchases has now been set at US$60,000. This contradicts the National Budget Law and raises serious concerns about compliance, fiscal discipline, and transparency in public spending.”
Senator Snowe emphasized that if the procurement threshold has indeed been raised, it is essential to determine whether this change was legally authorized and under what authority such a change was implemented.
“Given the implications of this pronouncement, I respectfully request that this Honorable Plenary summon the Director-General of GSA to provide justifications for his statement and explain the legal basis for this alleged adjustment,” the Senator mentioned in his communication.
The Senator’s request comes at a time when public scrutiny over government expenditures remains high, as questions surrounding fiscal discipline and adherence to budgetary laws continue to ignite debate, particularly regarding spending on government officials.
Snowe urged the Senate to treat this matter with urgency in the spirit of “accountability and adherence to the rule of law.”
The Senate has yet to respond to the request, but if granted, the hearing could provide clarity on whether the GSA’s new vehicle purchase threshold aligns with legal provisions or represents unauthorized government spending.
Edited: E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.
