By Bill W. Cooper
Members of the 54th Legislature are expected to conclude the extended session, paving way for the induction of members of the 55th Legislature.
According to the Legislative Calendar, the 6th and final Session of the 54th Legislature officially ended on December 8, 2023 and the Legislature should have adjourned since December to prepare for the 55th Legislature, scheduled for the second working Monday in January of 2024.
Outgoing President George Weah proffered a request for an extension of session for a month, with the sole intent of what he termed as ensuring the completion of crucial legislative instruments, coupled with addressing pressing issues of national concern.
Accordingly, the extension should have provided an opportunity for the lawmakers to pass bills aimed at settling socio-economic development, good governance, and political stability, as well as fulfilling some of Weah’s 2017 campaign promises.
On December 7, 2023, the Senate’s plenary endorsed the President’s request to extend its 6th Session for two weeks, starting December 11, 2023, to be concluded on December 22, 2023, but there were serious concerns raised about the timeliness.
The Liberian leader’s communication, in accordance with Article 32 of the Constitution, urged the Senate to prolong its session to allow for the submission of the 2024 draft national budget and other instruments aimed at addressing critical State issues.
The President said the extension was crucial for the country’s progress, especially during this transitional period where important matters are expected to be adequately addressed.
In that same vein, the President issued a Proclamation on December 28, 2023, calling on 54th Legislature to extend its sixth regular session for a period of 10 working days, beginning Tuesday, December 26, 2023 to Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
The President, in this new proclamation, said the extension was intended to discuss or act upon the FY2024 draft budget and other critical legislation centered on national development, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
But with this proclamation, the extension targeted the rectification of an incentive agreement between the Liberian government and the Fouani Brothers Corporation, as well as to ensure the confirmation of Frank Musa Dean as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia and Samora Wolokollie as Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).
Legislative pundits have begun analyzing that since the extension, logically, there has been no major decision taken by this Legislative body, precisely, the Liberian Senate, despite lawmakers poised to be paid by the Executive for what they now consider two months of extra sitting.
One of the critical issues that was intended to be passed by the Legislature was the FY2024 Draft Budget, but according to our legislative reporter, the instrument, even though submitted by the President, was not scrutinized by the senators, on excuse of not having ample time to peruse the document.
According to the senators, taking into consideration the drastic reduction of the budget from over US$700 million to a little over US$600 million, it was important to leave said crucial document to the incoming administration of President-elect Joseph Boakai.
Another issue was the incentive agreement between the Liberian Government and the Fouani Brothers Corporation. Even though the bill was rectified by the lawmakers, the President vetoed the bill, saying that he wants to give the new administration the chance to correct the loopholes that the bill presents, since he was leaving office in days to come.
President Weah’s decision was, however, met with stiff resistance from two senators, Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado County and Jonathan Boycharles Sogbe of River Gee County, describing the Liberian leader’s action as ‘unconstitutional and an act of incompetency and ineptness’.
The two senators further questioned President Weah’s decision, disclosing that the Liberian leader was in total error to have vetoed his own bill submitted to them (Legislature) for legislative action.
Dillon and Sogbe also wondered as to why the President would veto his own bill submitted, and asked, “Or is he telling us that he never knew what they (the Executive) signed with Fouani Brothers Corporation?”
The senators also described the Liberian Chief Executive as being a ‘novice occupying the country’s presidency’, as a result of his decision to have vetoed the Fouani Brothers Corporation Incentive Agreement submitted for rectification.
Also, the confirmation of the two key nominations from the outgoing President’s cycle, which has since raised serious concerns amongst the population, is assumed on various debate platforms as the main reason for the second extension of the Legislature.
The nomination of Dean as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, replacing Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe, following his ‘controversial’ resignation due to period of illness, and the nomination of Wolokolie to replace Thomas Doe Nah on the same day the body was being flown back in country, created mixed feelings and bottlenecks for the process.
The President also nominated one Alieu Massaquoi as Ambassador-designate to Saudi Arabia, all pending confirmation by the Liberian Senate, in-line with the Liberian Constitution.
Furthermore, the continuous protestations from staffers at the Senate regarding their two months extra sitting fees and other benefits, are all reasons for people in the legislative cycle to term the extension as a waste of tax payers’ resources.
Howbeit, Article 44 of the Constitution says “Contempt of the Legislature shall consist of actions which obstruct the legislative functions, or which obstruct or impede members or officers of the Legislature in the discharge of their legislative duties, and may be punished by the House concerned by reasonable sanctions after a hearing consistent with due process of law.”
But with the closure of the Senate today, the agitated staffers, who also expanded their actions to prohibiting vehicles from entering the promises of the Legislature, have vowed that, if not addressed, there will be no legislative session.
The situation, according to our legislative reporter, has since created serious uncertainty and doubt, triggering a significant delay of these nominees’ confirmation, leaving the fate of the appointees hanging in the balance.
The staffers began their protestation on Thursday, January 4, 2023, on the grounds of the Legislature, making yesterday day four of their protest action, which started with road blockade, prevention of lawmakers from performing legislative functions, among others.
The staffers are also threatening further that there will be no inauguration, which is expected to take place on the grounds of the Legislature, if their demands and concerns are not mutually resolved.
