By Bill W. Cooper
President George M. Weah last Thursday, May 2, 2022, submitted to the House of Representatives for ratification, two separate legislations.
The two bills titled: “Financing Agreement (Investment, Finance and Trade Project) between Liberia and Intentional Development Association (IDA) and a Legal Aid Act of 2022.
According to the Liberian leader’s communication to that body, the Legal Aid Act of 2022, when legislated will, “seek to govern all matters related to access to Justice and legal aid in criminal, civil and administrative cases for indigent persons, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and other vulnerable and marginalized persons.”
He indicated further that those individuals would be women, person living in remote rural areas, asylum seekers, refugees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons and persons that have been adversely affected by the Liberian Civil War.
The Liberian Chief Executive noted that the Act also provides for access to justice and legal aid as envisaged in the Liberian Constitution by enabling legal representation through the Liberian National Legal Aid Service and legally recognized legal aid providers.
He added that the bill when also enacted into law by the legislature will further provide legal services to the country’s vulnerable people who he said do not have means to acquire justice among others.
For the Financing agreement signed between Liberia and IDA on April 4, 2022, President Weah stressed that the agreement seeks to improve the investment climate and expand sustainable access to finance as well as increase efficiency of trade in Liberia.
He disclosed that under the agreement, IDA is to extend to Liberia a grant and a credit, which are deemed as Concessional Financing in the tune of US$14,300,000 as grant and US$14,300,000 as credit.
He added that the project when ratified by the legislature shall be implemented through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with assistance from the Technical Implementing Ministries and Agencies.
Meanwhile, the Financing Agreement legislation between Liberia and IDA was forwarded to the House committees on Commerce and Industry, and Judiciary, while the Legal Aid Act of 2022 bill turned over to the committee on Judiciary with the mandate to report within two weeks.
