The Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC), a policy Think Tank and capacity-building center within the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has presented a consignment of assorted office supplies and equipment to the Legislative Budget Office (LBO), the technical policy analysis arm at the Liberia National Legislature. The donation is geared towards strengthening the capacity and understanding of the staffers of the LBO about policy analysis on critical developmental reforms, including the formulation and performance analysis of the National Budget to support their recommendations to members of the Liberian Legislature for decision making, and to strengthen the overall public financial management reforms across government. The items presented include: computers, printers, photocopiers, projectors, internet modems, office furniture, and other assorted office supplies.
Del Francis Wreh, LIMPAC Executive Director who presented the items on behalf of Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, Jr. who is also LIMPAC Board of Management Chairperson, noted that the LBO was created by Legislative enactment, modeled after the US Congressional Budget Office to provide technical support to the Liberian Legislature through its Committees on Ways, Means, Budget, Finance, & Development Planning by undertaking an impartial analysis of revenues and public expenditures forecasts and outturns as contained in the budget proposal of the Executive Branch, and to inform the Legislature’s consideration and approval of draft national budgets.Mr. Wreh, expressed confidence in the management team of the LBO headed by Director Othello S. Tarbah, to perform satisfactorily and move the LBO to higher standards in supporting the legislative agenda of Liberia.Wreh thanked Minister Samuel D. Tweah, Jr for this support to LIMPAC’s activities and gave assurances of LIMPAC’s continuous support and engagements with the National Legislature through the LBO in a collaborative fashion to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes relative to the analysis and interpretation of the national budget, and other public policy instruments. He revealed that LIMPAC will also leverage its network of donor partners to intercede on behalf of the LBO and other technical support units within the Liberian Legislature to boost collective productivity across government.
For his part, LBO Acting Director Othello S. Tarblah, receiving the donation, paid special tribute to the LIMPAC Board Chair & Finance Minister, Honorable Samuel D. Tweah, Jr, describing him as a man of high professional standards and a respectable public financial management practitioner who has taken Liberia’s public financial management endeavors to higher heights.Mr. Tarbah noted that the kind gesture was an exercise in ‘triangulation’ which according to him will go a long way in Legislative strengthening. He said the logistics came at the time the LBO is analyzing the Draft FY2020/2021 national budget for passage by the Legislature. He indicated that the ‘good’ which has arrived on time will expedite critical analyses, recommendations, and decisions on the passage of the proposed budget now being considered by the Legislature.He called on the fiscal authorities of the government to continue constructive engagements at all levels of the budget process.