MONROVIA, Montserrado – Although lawmakers convened on Capitol Hill on Monday, they have not yet received the president’s official state of emergency declaration; therefore, formal discussions on the subject have not begun yet.
Liberia has now recorded 59 confirmed cases of COVID-19, along with 6 deaths, and Pres. George Weah’s declaration of a state of emergency on April 8 was meant to help the country contain the Coronavirus.
In his public address to the nation announcing the measures, the president called on the legislature to convene a joint special session to deliberate on his proclamation.
“As a first step under the powers hereby granted me under this state of emergency, the speaker and the president pro tempore are to convene the 54th Legislature in joint session on tomorrow, Thursday, the 9th of April, 2020 for justification and endorsement of this state of emergency by joint resolution in accordance with Article 88 of the Liberian constitution,” Weah said.
However, the legislature never met on April 9 to discuss the measures because the president had not yet submitted any documents to the legislature. Friday, April 10 was a national holiday and lawmakers did not meet.
On Monday, April 13, some lawmakers who preferred to remain unnamed told The Bush Chicken that the failure to discuss the president’s proclamation was due to the president’s failure to submit documents containing the facts and circumstances that led to his declaration of the state of emergency.
The vast majority of lawmakers were on the grounds of the Capitol Building on Monday, in anticipation of a discussion. However, this did not happen. Members of the House of Representatives later convened a session in their chamber. After the morning prayer and the roll call was done, signaling that 41 lawmakers were present, Speaker Bhofal Chambers called for the session to be closed to the public.
Lawmakers are again expected to convene at the Capitol Building on April 14 at 10:00 a.m.
Speaking with legislative reporters, Montserrado’s Sen. Darius Dillon expressed disappointment over the president’s failure to present the proclamation since he announced it. Dillon said it showed that the president’s office was not prepared to announce the state of emergency.
At the same time, presidential press secretary, Isaac Solo Kelgbeh, has confirmed that President Weah has not yet submitted the facts and circumstances that led to his declaration of a state of emergency to the legislature.
Speaking to a local radio station in Monrovia, Kelgbeh noted that the constitution gives the president up to seven days before presenting the proclamation to the legislature. He said the president is consulting with international and local partners; afterward, he will present the proclamation to the legislature.
Featured photo by Zeze Ballah
