MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Liberian Senate wants the National Elections Commission to adjust the US91.9 Million Dollar budget recently submitted for the conduct of the 2023 elections.

The Senate’s Joint committee on Autonomous Commissions and Agencies, Ways, Means, Finance and Budget has called for further consultations with the aim of taking a relook at the proposed 91.9 Million US Dollar budget.

The joint committee in a hearing Wednesday, June 16, 2021, told NEC Board of Commissioners that amidst the current economic reality, it is prudent for the Commission to do the necessary readjustments on the budget.

The committee, in its reservations indicated that US 91.9 million seems too huge especially when there are lot of competing national priorities.

The committee at the same time urged NEC to do a complete breakdown of the proposed budget into stages for Legislative consideration.

Meanwhile NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lasanah has justified that the budget is realistic due to the introduction of biometric voter registration.

Madam Browne Lasanah said the budget will include costs for logistics, equipment, materials, staff, technical experts, training, civic\Voter education and gender mainstreaming, amongst others.

She said the Commission intends to establish 14 additional magisterial offices across the Country, with such move entailing additional cost of infrastructure, equipment and personnel, as captured in the budget.

The NEC Boss told the Joint Committee that the Commission will need a total of US 41.9 dollars out of its submission to undertake activities which are prerequisite to the conduct of the 2023 general and Presidential elections.

She added that in the final half of 2021, the Commission will need US 4Million Dollars to conduct a pilot project for the Biometric Voter Registration.