Over one hundred employees of the National Elections Commission (NEC) have signed a resolution demanding urgent action on budget transparency and improved working conditions.
According to the resolution obtained by DN News, staff members are pressing the NEC’s Board of Commissioners, led by Madam Davidetta Brown Lassana, to establish a committee to decide on key budget allocations. Specifically, employees are calling for the payment of six months’ hazard allowance and insurance benefits as part of the transfer from the declared remaining budget funds.
The resolution stipulates that once the committee’s work is completed, it should be reviewed and approved by the Board of Commissioners.
The NEC team is also urged to include in the budget transfer proposal a reasonable allocation for administrative costs, addressing needs at headquarters and magisterial offices, as well as the repair and servicing of staff buses and assigned vehicles.
The document underscores the importance of consensus among the Board of Commissioners on budgetary decisions to ensure transparency and accountability.
Employees insist that these measures are crucial for maintaining staff morale and enabling the NEC to operate effectively, especially as the Commission prepares for future elections.
Responding to the employees’ grievances, Madam Lassana stated that the NEC declared a leftover amount of $8 million to the Liberian government after the 2023 general elections.
She clarified that these funds were not intended for staff distribution but were declared to the government.
Madam Lassana acknowledged internal disputes over the funds, with some employees feeling that the remaining money should have been allocated to them. She, however, refuted claims of misappropriation, asserting that the funds were used solely for approved purposes, including by-elections and staff allowances.
