State Of Emergency Begins Tomorrow …Legislature Meets On The Issue Today

By Alex Yomah
In compliance with Articles 86 of the Liberian Constitution and in consultation with the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro-tempore of the Liberian Senate, President George Weah has declared a three-week State of Emergency across the country.
Despite the robust measures put in place by Liberia’s health authority to combat the coronavirus, Liberia has recorded 14 confirmed cases, three deaths and 661 suspected cases of which 308 are awaiting the completion of their 14 days quarantine.
In what he termed as a state of the nation addressed delivered yesterday, President Weah announced several other measures that will take effect as of under the State of Emergency beginning at 11:59 P.M. on Friday, April 10 in accordance with Articles 85, 87 and 88 respectively however, he stated that further measures will be imposed from time to time under this emergency period.
Meanwhile, the Liberian leader has ordered the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia and the Chairperson of the National Joint Security to enforce this stay-home policy beginning as of the effective date.
The President announced that all 15 counties within the Republic of Liberia are hereby quarantined from 11:59 P.M. on tomorrow, Friday, April 10, until further notice and that movements between counties are strictly prohibited.
“No person shall be permitted to enter or leave or in any way cross the borders of any county into any other county, except for Montserrado County and Margibi County which are quarantined as a single unit,” the State of Emergency contained.
At the same time, President Weah announced that all Liberians and residents within the borders of Montserrado, Margibi, Nimba and Grand Kru Counties are to remain at home for the next 14 days and that throughout this period, residents may leave home only for essential journeys for reasons of health and food, which should be restricted to their local community only and be limited to a single person per household for a maximum of one hour.
“Exceptions shall be made for persons who are designated as essential staff in government offices, banks, supermarkets, and other business establishments such as hotels, petrol stations, and health facilities to travel directly to work and return directly home. All such commercial activities are to be closed no later than 3:00 P.M,” the President stated.
“All non-essential businesses and government offices will remain closed, with the exception of essential businesses, health facilities and a few key government offices, such as the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Bank of Liberia, the National Port Authority, the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Monrovia City Corporation and the Liberia Broadcasting System including all other accredited media with only a skeleton staff will be given passes to work,” the State of Emergency contained.
“Other government offices may be designated as exempt based on the essential nature of their function while non-exempt government employees and people in the private sector are encouraged to work from home and the exempted restrictions are also on the (a) production, distribution and marketing of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and medicine; (b) environmental and sanitation activities; ( c) members of the security forces assigned to lawful duties; (d) essential staffs of electricity, water, telecommunications, banking, and hotels, and (e) the staff of fuel stations,” President Weah declared.
President Weah further announced that the Speaker and the President Pro-Tempore are to convene the 54th Legislature in Joint Session today, Thursday, April 9, for the justification and endorsement of this State of Emergency through a Joint Resolution, in accordance with Article 88 of the Liberian Constitution.
This will be President Weah’s second address the nation since the coronavirus became a global pandemic which is said to have leaped from the People’s Republic of China thus affecting all continents.
The Global health statistics showed that coronavirus is weeping medically sophisticated countries like America, Italy, Spain, Great Britain and China with African-Americans falling prey in recent days and this virus has leaped to African recording deaths daily.
Apparently adhering to medical experts’ advised for stringent measures to be taken in Africa aimed at curtailing the virus or else Africa could experience the worst and most devastating effect due to its porosity, Liberia is the latest to join other countries in the region to effect rigorous measures to curtail the outbreak or spread of the virus.
Many believe that President Weah’s State of Emergency is as a result intense criticism by the public for his failure to update his citizens on a daily basis in the face the rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases as well as deaths recorded in Liberia.
SEE FULL TEXT OF PRESIDENT WEAH’S ADDRESS ON PAGE…(6 )