Following declaration of a State of Emergency, lawmakers up Capitol Hill failed to convene a joint session on Thursday to effectuate President Weah’s proposal.
According to Liberia Public Radio reporter who was on the grounds of the Capitol Building Thursday, April 9, 2020 members of the House of Representatives were seen in their separate chambers having close door session while the Liberian Senate failed to convene.
Liberian president George Weah on Wednesday April 8, 2020 declared a 21 day state of emergency to give way for the fight against COVID-19.
Our reporter observed that members of the Legislature were not in any readiness to effectuate the president’s public pronouncement by visually staying away from session.
For some lawmakers, President George Weah was in total error by announcing that the legislature will convene in a joint session to have the state of emergency effectuated while others believed it is in the ambit of the presidency to declare state of emergency even without the legislature effectuating it at a particular date.
Some members of the Liberian legislature who spoke to LPR on the condition of anonymity on Thursday have termed the president state of emergency as “untimely” stating the harsh economic situation in the country must first be addressed by the president instead of keeping citizens in door for weeks.
The Liberian constitution mandates the legislature to approve the declaration of state of emergency in 7 days following pronouncement by the head of state.
Montserrado Senator Abraham Darius Dillion on his official face book page said the procedure to call the legislature back to session was not done properly as a result many of them did not go to session on Thursday.
Lockedown in force
Meanwhile a 14 day lockdown as part of the state of emergency declared by president Weah is coming into force across four of Liberia’s 15 counties as part of measure to fight COVID-19.
Residents of the four counties; Montserrado, Nimba Margibi and Grand Kru are to stay off streets beginning 3PM to the morning hours.
Those exempted from this Lockdown are health workers, accredited media practitioners, security personnel and petrol station workers among others.
Members of the Legislature are expected to convene a special session on monday April 13, 2020 to look at the president state of emergency whether it will take full effect or not.
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