CALLS ON 54th LEGISLATURE TO EXTEND SIXTH REGULAR SESSION
Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The 54th Legislature is to meet again for ten (10) working days, from Monday, December 11, 2023, to Friday, December 22, 2023, to discuss and decide on the FY2024 Draft National Budget and other urgent legislation related to national development, integrity, transparency, and accountability. This request was made in a proclamation issued by President George Manneh Weah.
Article 32(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia states that the President may, on his own initiative or upon receipt of a certificate signed by at least one-fourth of the members of each House, and by proclamation, extend a regular session of the Legislature beyond the date for adjournment or call a special or extraordinary session of that body to discuss or act upon matters of national emergency and concern. This information was included in the Proclamation, according to a Foreign Ministry release.
As per the above, the 54th Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, in its Sixth Regular Session, adjourned on Friday, December 8, 2023.
The Proclamation said that in compliance with the previously mentioned Article 32(b) of Liberia’s Constitution, a certificate bearing the signature of at least one-fourth of all members of each House has been presented to the President for the purpose of extending the 54th Legislature’s Sixth Regular Session for ten (10) working days, starting on December 11, 2023, and ending on December 22, 2023. This will give the Legislature more time to consider and approve a number of bills related to national development, integrity, transparency, and accountability, as well as other matters.
In order to comply with Article 32(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, the Third Constituency visit/break of the Legislature shall begin no later than the second Friday of December of each year and end on the Friday immediately preceding the second working Monday of January of each year. This is provided by Section 2 of the Act to repeal An Act to Amend Section 1 of An Act fixing the Day for the Annual Adjournment of the Legislature of the Republic of Liberia and to establish in lieu thereto An Act Setting the Calendar of Adjournment for the Legislature.