Monrovia – It has been observed that many lawmakers especially members of the Liberian Senate are on a daily basis boycotting sessions without giving genuine reasons or excuses.
Report by Henry Karmo, [email protected]
These lawmakers, according to legislative sources, are paying less interest in what has been described as the “interest of the people who elected them”.
Some of those lawmakers include Senator Marshall Dennis of Grand Gedeh County, Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County and Representative Muna Pelham Youngblood of District #9 Montserrado County amongst others.
These lawmakers have performed decimally and are very delinquent in providing results when give task by plenary of the Senate, our source claimed.
Some senators have expressed serious concerned about their performance and absence from regular sessions.
Marshall Dennis
Senator Dennis was elected during the December 2014 special senatorial election replacing then Isaac Wheyee Nyanabo now Liberia Ambassador to Belgium.
Dennis was appointed chairman on the Senate banking committee as chairman but has failed to make his mark on the committee.
On two separate occasions, the Grand Gedeh County Senator failed to perform when given a task. On one occasion, when Senator Nyounblee Karnga-Lawrence of Grand Bassa County wrote the Senate seeking inquiry on the state of the economy, Marshall failed to perform his committee role.
As chair on Banking and currency he was tasked to investigate and make findings available to plenary of the senate for he failed to do so.
In keeping with the Senate rules, the session on discharged petition was invoked taking the task from the Marshall Committee and dedicating the responsibility to an ad-hoc committee established by the Senate Pro-tempore because of its important nature.
In another incident, when a communication was proffered by another colleague on the printing of the new bank notes that are now in circulation. Concerns were raised about the amount being printed as there were confusion and speculation about the exact amount being printed by the Central Bank. But Senator Marshall was also lackadaisical in ensuring the CBL provide clarity.
Prince Johnson
Senator Jonson, who has considered himself the ‘face of Nimba County’ at the disbelief of some critics, is hardly seen in session.
He comes once in a while and when he is present he is not always there until the end of session.
To many, Johnson needs not to work or attend session to prove a thing to the people of Nimba County, after “liberating” the county from mayhem.
Muna Pelham Youngblood
The District # 9 Montserrado County lawmaker has taken the posture of a member of the Executive branch of government since the election of President George Weah.
Her critics dubbed her as a ‘protocol officer’. She has made several foreign trips with the President.
In response to critics, who believe she is over stepping her bound, Youngblood insists she chairs the Executive committee and it is part of her responsibility to be involved with the Executive.
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