Liberia: Lawmakers Decry Seating Arrangements at President Boakai’s State of the Nation Address

MONROVIA – Members of the 55th Legislature have expressed dissatisfaction over the seating arrangements at the ongoing State of the Nation Address delivered by President Joseph Boakai.

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By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]

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The lawmakers described the arrangement as poorly organized, criticizing the decision to seat cabinet ministers on the stage while placing lawmakers among the general audience. They argue that, as legislators, they should have been accorded equal recognition with stage seating arrangements.

This year’s State of the Nation Address is being held outside the Capitol Building under canopies, rather than its traditional venue in the Joint Chambers. This change was necessitated by the fire that gutted the building in December.

The annual event, traditionally held on the fourth working Monday in January, is modeled after the U.S. system, where the President outlines the administration’s achievements and legislative agenda. However, this year’s event is overshadowed by a leadership impasse in the House of Representatives, leading to a partial boycott by some lawmakers from both the House and the Senate.

The absence of the Supreme Court from the event has also raised questions. While Supreme Court spokesperson Darryl Ambrose Nmah stated that Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh was absent due to international engagements, there has been no explanation for the absence of the other four justices.

As the event continues, the leadership crisis in the House of Representatives casts a shadow over President Boakai’s address, with uncertainty about whether the Justices’ absence is linked to the ongoing legislative impasse.