Despite Controversial Speakership Fight.
Monrovia, Liberia – The Speaker of the 55th Legislature, Richard N. Koon, has promised a new chapter of growth and opportunity for Liberia at the SONA launch on Monday, January 27, 2025 at the Capitol Building in Monrovia. He stated that the launch of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) has instilled hope and raised expectations among the people. As the Legislature begins the second session of the six-year journey, they will embark on the full implementation of the ARREST Agenda.
He believes that excellent data for evidence-based decision-making is critical to the agenda’s execution. The Montserrado county district #11 lawmaker urged the leadership of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) to validate, finalize, and submit the 2022 national population and housing census report to the Legislature in order that the threshold for constituency demarcation and delineation can be established, as per Article 80 of the Liberian Constitution.
He reported that Article 80 of the Liberian Constitution reads: “Each constituency shall have approximately equal population of 20,000, or such number of citizens as the legislature shall prescribe in keeping with population growth and movements as revealed by a national census; provided that the total number of electoral constituencies in the Republic shall not exceed one hundred” . And this should be done every ten years; the constitutional obligation was last accomplished in 2008.
The Liberian Speaker also supported the adoption and approval of critical laws necessary to drive transformative reforms in line with the ARREST Agenda.
“We request for the concurrence of the Senate to enact on The Presidential Transition Act which seeks to establish the arrangements and mechanisms for the proper management of the transfer of political power or administration from one democratically elected President to another democratically elected President.”
However, he has requested for the concurrence of the Senate to enact “The Liberia National Tourism Authority Act” when passed into law. He believes that the Act would assist Liberia capitalize on its tourist potential for investment, employment, growth, and national development. In the same line, we sincerely urge the Senate’s concurrence in enacting legislation to establish a Commission for the Elderly, noting that the Act has been with the Senate since the 54th Legislature.
The Speaker of the 55th Legislature urged his colleagues to prioritize and prioritize the passage of “The Ministry of Local Government Act” before it is forwarded to the Senate for approval.
He stated that the Act is aimed to decentralize government activities. “We want to focus and resolve difficulties with The New Election Law this legislative year.”
Speaker Koon stated that the Legislature is committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of citizens while upholding the confidence put in them as lawmakers.
Reported by: Prince Saah
Contact: +231778239813
Email: saahprince119@gmail.com
