Monrovia, Liberia – In what was supposed to be his first productive meeting with lawmakers in the Executive Mansion on Tuesday, May 22, 2025, President Joseph N. Boakai urged members of the 55th Legislature to set aside their political and personal differences for the sake of national growth and harmony.
ccording to President Boakai, the elected officials of the country must work together right now and “put their differences behind them and serve the people who elected them.”
President Boakai said, political divide is not necessary at this time, “our people are looking to us for guidance, leadership, and outcomes.”
Legislators were warned by the Liberian leader not to let personal or political differences impede development. The gathering of legislators from the sixteenth counties coincided with growing demands for better government and service delivery.
He urged senators to prioritize legislation that directly benefits the public and to have productive conversations across party lines throughout the meeting. The tone for a more cohesive and people-centered approach to governing is anticipated to be established by President Boakai’s call.
Jeremiah Kpan Koon, the vice president of Liberia, stated that the legislature provides a forum for controversy but urged Speaker Richard Koon and Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah to bring their fellow politicians together.
Vice President Koon said, “There is something you need to look at and accommodate others who are not in a meeting; doing so will enable the entire body to be one.”
The Vice President asserted that some people will be disappointed if the Speaker does not have an inclusive legislature, which would lead to another election.
“Mr. Speaker, it is your responsibility to go above and beyond and include people who are dissatisfied and those who have lost committees to oversee them; that is what a good leader does,” the vice president explained.
After the meeting, Nimba County District #7 Representative Musu Bility told reporters that the President’s message was “timely and patriotic” and that the interaction was “frank and necessary.”
“The President emphasized that our purpose is to serve our people.” Representative Bility clarified that, “we need to see past party politics and fulfill our commitments.”
However, almost seven lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction when they exited the Executive Mansion grounds during the pictures section. One lawmaker was heard saying, “We were misled, the Speaker told us that this meeting was called/scheduled by the President, just to find out that it was all lie. Speaker Richard Koon scheduled this meeting.”
He also claimed that they were not given the opportunity to voice their opinions during the discussion, which was completely inappropriate; “we only introduced ourselves.”
