73 persons who were elected by their various electoral districts from across the country were sworn in as lawmakers of the House of Representatives and members of the 55th Legislature on Monday, January 15, 2024.
These 73 sons and daughters will be responsible to provide adequate representations of their various constituencies, make laws to help develop their communities and the country as a whole, provide oversight of how government functions while serving their people, thus listing their cardinal functions as, lawmaking, representation, and oversight.
They are also responsible to ensure that all three branches of the Liberian government, though independent of each other, coordinate, while doing the business of the Liberian people; and also, ensure a balance in government through budgetary allocation and disbursement, and hold the feet of the Executive and all government officials to the fire on how funds allocated have served the people.
Article 31 says, “Each member of the Legislature, before taking his seat and entering upon the duties of office, shall take and subscribe to a solemn oath or affirmation, before the presiding officer of the House to which such person was elected, and in the presence of other members of that House, to uphold and defend the Constitution and laws of the Republic and to discharge faithfully, duties of such office.”
But, on their second day in office, the chamber of the lower house turned into a market ground as most members of that honorable body, including old and new, were heard talking at the peak of their voices, chattering with some of their colleagues, or on phones calling family members and friends and describing their location. Still, others were seen walking through the aisle of the chamber with no courtesy to Deputy Speaker, Thomas Fallah, who could neither control nor call his colleagues to order.
“Tis is not a good start for us as people who were elected by our various districts to ably represent them. I can assure you that our people are watching and listening on how we conduct ourselves and the affairs of the State,” Fallah said in a frustrating tone.
He warned, “As we celebrate our elections as members of this Honorable House, I pray that we act in accordance with the rules and regulations that govern this place, because I will not hesitate to ask anyone who will be caught disturbing or walking out of session, out.”
“It is in our rule that if the presiding recognizes anyone to speak, everyone else should listen. I appeal to you that we respect each other and listen when our colleagues have the floor to speak. We all love to be called ‘HONORABLE,’ so we should act honorably and do the business of the Liberian people,” Deputy Speaker Fallah cautioned.
Fallah advised his colleagues, especially the new lawmakers, to always attend and remain in session and do the work for which they were elected, noting that, “Pro-democracy groups, local and international human rights groups, as well as our foreign partners, are eager to see the changes we bring to the discourse as we work for the Liberian people.”
Due to the disturbance in the corridors of the Lower House, not much was achieved on their second working day in office.
Many Liberians, including journalists covering that august body, will be frustrated if members of the House of Representatives in the 55th National Legislature will tread the path of the 54th Legislature by abandoning or not attending sessions, which immensely contributed to their failure and the failure of the George Weah-led CDC government.
