Liberia: Dist. 15 Constituent Pleads with Sen. Karnga-Lawrence to Accept State-funding for Late Husband’s Funeral Rites

Monrovia – The chief executive officer (CEO) and general manager of Skyline, Mr. R. Bobby Blessing Sonpon, is pleading with Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, the wife of the late Representative Adolph Lawrence, to accept a state-funded funeral for her husband.

Until his death on Monday, March 25, the late lawmaker represented Montserrado County’s District #15 in the House of Representatives.

Sonpon, a resident of the district, made his appeal over the weekend following FrontPageAfrica’s publication that Senator Karnga-Lawrence had written House Speaker Bhofal Chambers informing him of a decision of her family.

In her communication to the Speaker, she said her families’ decision to bury the late lawmaker on their own is based on their awareness of the financial constraints facing the government.

“In as much as every member of the National Legislature is entitled to a government-funded state funeral, as a Senator I am fully aware of the financial constraints with which the government is currently confronted with. We have, therefore, decided to forfeit such privilege, as is due my late husband. The requisite funding to underwrite the cost associated with the funeral rites of my late husband have already been raised from his Estate, our families, friends and supporters,” Sen. Karnga-Lawrence wrote.

She indicated that her late husband loved Liberia and cared for the average Liberian and would therefore, not imposed any additional financial burden on government of Liberia.

However, in his appeal to her, Sonpon spoke of how generous and kindhearted the late Rep. Lawrence was to his people for the number of years he served them in the House of Representatives. He added: “All of us are feeling his death.”

Still emphasizing how they miss him, he further spoke of how the late Rep. was a man who always listened to his critics’ opinions and citizens’ concerns for the common good of the district. 

Sonpon: “I am appealing to Senator Karnga-Lawrence to reconsider her decision. Our late Representative deserves all aspects of the State Funeral. Truth, he wouldn’t want to put more financial burden on his country because he loved this nation so much, but please Madam Senator this is one last respect he deserves. Please allow the State to fund his funeral just as it is done for other statesmen and women, who died while in office.”   

He used the occasion to call on other residents of the district to buttress the efforts of their late Rep’s widow in trying to give her husband a befitting State’s burial. Representative Lawrence died in a tragic motor accident during the early morning hour of March 25, 2019 on the Robertsfield highway.