Members of the 55th Liberian Legislature officially commenced session on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, following leadership elections at both houses.
Grand Kru County Representative Jonathan Fonati Koffa and Lofa County District One Representative Thomas Fallah both of the outgoing Coalition for Democratic Change government will lead the House of Representatives as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, while Grand Bassa County Senator Nynonble Kangar Lawrence, a strong ally of President-Elect Joseph Boakai will lead the Senate as Pro temporary.
Over the years, Liberia’s legislators have been accused of relinquishing their oversight and legislative duties, which has led to an uninspiring government and the ratification of concession deals that are not in the best interests of the country. There has been a clear need for a pattern change in the way the first branch of government operates as the new government takes set on January 22, 2024.
At the senate, the members seem to be getting the sentiments from electorates that order of work must embark on a new dimension if the lives of the people of Liberia must change for the better. Poverty and mismanagement continues to envelope the tiny nation of 5.5 million people according to the latest census figures.
In separate remarks during their first day sitting, the senators acknowledged numerous social problems and hindrances that are preventing development as well as the improvement in citizens’ living standards, while planning to ensure that these obstacles are removed.
Making his debut comment in session Gbarpolu County Senator and former Finance and Development Planning Minister Amara Konneh calls for an open and transparent senate that will champion accountability. Senator Konneh said while it is the legislature’s responsibility to hold others accountable, the body itself must ensure that public money is used wisely, by opening up itself for audit.
He reminded his colleagues that the job given to them by the people was not ordinary, as their lives depended on it. The national legislature has over the years resisted calls from the public to open the body to public audits and accountability. Public confidence continues to erode in the lawmaking body because of what the public perceived as the passing of questionable investment contracts and conflict of interest in which some lawmakers serve as consultants to investors and fronting for companies that benefit members of the national legislature.
Also speaking Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon told his colleagues that they were elected by the people with the belief that they would change the country for the better and that failing them would be detrimental.
Senator Dillon informed his colleagues that Liberians want jobs, not handouts, empowerment, and not patronage, dignity, and not sycophancy, and expressed hope that the senate will uphold the hope of the people by standing firm in maintaining checks and balances.
Senator has been a vocal critics of the Weah regime and now finds himself in the leadership of the new legislature as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He joined the Boakai’s United Party alliance after the collapse of the Coalition bloc of political parties that included the Alternative National Congress, ANC of Alexander Cummings, United Party, Liberty Party.
Senator suffered a setback when the Liberty party expelled him from the party and has since remained with President-Elect Boakai leading his campaign and victory on the vote rich Montserrado County which Dillion won two successive times to hold on to President Weah’s former seat in the Senate.
For her part, Gbarpolu County Senator Gbotoe Kanneh who is one of two female senators in the Liberian Senate accused the outgoing Weah’s administration of strangulating her.
Senator Kanneh claimed that despite the government signing Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs) allowing concessions companies to operate for the benefit of communities, some concessions are not benefiting the people.
“We are rich when it comes to mineral resources in Gbarpolu County, but the people are extremely impoverished.” She said.
The businesswoman-turned-politician also complained of insufficient medical supplies at the Emirates hospital in the county.
She indicated that due to bad roads, the $20 million hospital is being destroyed by dust, while also informing her colleagues about the disappearance of justice in the Belle forest in the county. It now how fall on Gbotoe Kanneh to correct and make right the claimed of wrongs of the Weah government in her county to help improve the living standards and foster health care services in the region.
Bomi County Senator Edwin Snowe voiced confidence that the senate legislative operations will be successful given the quality of people currently at the Senate.
He noted that although there was division during the recently held elections, he was sure that opposition members would back the incoming administration for the good of the country. Senate Snowe, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who once represented Montserrado County during the early days of the Sirleaf Administration relocated to Bomi to win an easy challenger in the county. The residents of the county will send him to the senate subsequently.
A close ally of President George Weah, Mr. Snowe has spent most of his legislative service on the ECOWAS Parliamentary Committee where he often shufflers between Monrovia and Abuja, Nigeria.
Delivering remarks, Senator Y. Prince Johnson of Nimba County revealed that certain government institutions were given funding, but didn’t deliver on their promises, but expressed optimism that if senators collaborate in the best interests of their constituents, more investors will come to Liberia.
Senator Johnson told his colleagues that development is necessary for the country and that they were elected to help their people, stand by them, and see to it that the budget reflects the developmental needs of the people of Liberia.
Senator Johnson is credited for the several development project in his home county of Nimba both during the Sirleaf and Weah regimes. He broke ranks with President Weah who he supported in an alliance after Weah fired the Chairman of his political party, Counselor Cooper Krah, for attending a UP gathering. He also accused President Weah of discriminating the people of Nimba when it comes to appointment to influential positions in his government.
He joined Mr. Boakai and delivered vote rich Nimba County in solidifying his victory over the CDC candidate President George Manneh Weah. Weah when on to accept defeat in a concession speech on nation radio -ELBC while the votes counting was underway. Senator Johnson’s party produced the Vice President Elect Jeremiah Koung on the UP ticket.
As Liberians await the inauguration of President-elect Joseph Boakai and the government to get into full gear, much appears to be needed from Senators on Capitol Hill, now than ever before.
With the election of soon-to-be opposition lawmakers Jonathan Fonati Kofa and Thomas Fallah as speaker and Deputy which presents Liberia with the election of UP’s candidate Nynonble Kangar Lawrence , Liberia demand that both the CDC and UP work together to improve their lives and move the country forward in fighting poverty, corruption, misrule, and self-enrichment and to create jobs, improve health delivery services, sanitation, and word network, projects that President-Elect hinted in his campaign.
Speaker Koffa pledged to collaborate with President Boakai to implement the development initiatives of the country after surviving a tense speakership contest. In what appears to be a goodwill, the United Party dropped its court challenge against Speaker Koffa on the dual citizenship status.
