Bishop Nimely Jacobkly Donyen is calling for the amendment of Article 80(d) of the Constitution of Liberia.
Article 80(d) of the 1986 Constitution as was promulgated into law declaring that electoral constituency shall be comprise of 20,000 inhabitants to a district.
He believes that following the forthcoming census, there would likely be an increase in the electoral constituencies based on growth in the population and movements.
The Bishop of the Independent Catholic of Liberia (ICCL) made these remarks over the weekend as he delivered the keynote address at program marking the first graduation and awards day of the Senior High Division of the JAG Early Learning Foundation Academy in Lower Johnsonville, Montserrado County.
According to him, the high number of lawmakers particularly in the House of Representatives already poses serious financial burdens on government and that impedes the implementation of national developmental initiatives and as such, there is a compelling need for every conscious Liberian to buttress his appeal to government that there should be no further increase the number of Representatives.
Bishop Donyen who is poised to be a formidable candidate for the would-be vacant seat of District 2 in Montserrado County in the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections averred that each representative earning US$8,000 as salaries including other benefits as well as benefits for 30 senators shows that significant percentage of the national budget is being allotted to the Legislature alone.
He further stated that some of the representatives are doing nothing in the Legislature to be rewarded that huge chunk of monies that could be used to develop the country and also provide relevant services to the citizens like good health care delivery, educational facilities including security as well as food, amongst others.
The Bishop said he does not see the relevance of multiple representatives adding that from West Point to Sinkor and stretching toward Congo Town having five Representatives is not necessary noting that at least five or six representatives could be appropriate for Monrovia and its suburbs.
“I can’t see the impact that Representative Solomon George of District 7, is making on the lives of the people of the slum communities of West Point, Newport Street and other communities. Even the Representative of District 2, Jimmy Smith is not also positively impacting the lives of the disadvantaged district dwellers. I have keenly observed that this is a common behavior on the part of lawmakers in the country,” he indicated.
The 1990 graduate of the SS Peter & Paul Major Seminary in Ibadan, Nigeria with two Bachelor Degrees in Sacred Theology and Religious Studies with Cum Laude concomitantly urged the graduates to use the knowledge that they have acquired to analyze situations for the benefits of themselves, families and the state.
He then challenged the 17 youthful graduates to always exhibit wise decisions when it comes to electing someone who will represent them in the Legislature because it is a political theatre where ideas are debated based on constitutionality.
“You must elect someone who possess the requisite educational credentials to be able to adequately represent you,” he urged them.
Bishop Donyen however admonished the citizens of the country to always demand the educational credentials of people in the future before they can be elected to represent them by recommending at least a bachelor’s degree.
“If you elect a representative who has acquired appreciable level of enlightenment, the citizens stand to benefits from the performance of their prescribed duties which are representation, lawmaking and oversight,” he added.
He noted that on the contrary, this has the propensity of denying the people of benefits from development projects that the government is obligated to providing for its citizens.
“I connected the Red Hill Community of District 2 in 2017 with pipe borne water with a plan to have also connected other communities by 2019 but the water was blocked and diverted for personal use. I also lobbied and received US$30,000 to initiate electrification project for the district but that again it was blocked by people who don’t know their functions,” he pointed out.
Therefore, he assured residents of the district that he will surely redo those projects including new ones when elected as the Representative of the district.
The keynote speaker then provided scholarships to nine graduates comprising four females and five males including the valedictorian of the Class of Faith & Determination, Marcella I.F. Chuks to attend the University of Liberia (UL) which totals 50 students at the moment who will be on his scholarship from the school.
He also asserted that the Free Education Tent at the Cheerful Givers High School (CGHS) operated by him will be introduced at the JAG Early Foundation Academy.
