Monrovia – The Institute for Research and Development (IREDD) has launched its 2022 Legislative Performance Report highlighting poor attendance for Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe and 20 other Representatives.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-[email protected]
Speaking at the launch at the Boulevard Palace Hotel on March 29, 2023, the Executive Director of IREDD Mathais Yeahnay said disclosed that the actions of the Bomi County Senator and the 20 other Representatives are a complete disservice to the people of said constituencies.
Despite Senator Snowe being one of the key members representing Liberia in the ECOWAS Parliament, the group says there have been no reports of his activities at the ECOWAS Parliament.
“We found out that one Senator who scored F for low plenary attendance times is Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County, even though he represents Liberia at the ECOWAS but no activities report from his assignment,” Yeaney said.
He added: “Assigned legislators at ECOWAS and other parliaments be required to make quarterly reports of activities from their assignments.”
Yeaney added: “We also found that 20 Representatives scored F for low plenary attendance times.”
Out of the 20 Representatives that were marked poor for attendance, five are from the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), three are from Unity Party (UP), two are from the People Unification Party, one from Liberty Party, one from United People Party, one Liberia National Union, and seven are Independent Representatives.
According to IREDD, the leadership of the legislature is politically bargained and overly influenced legislature by the
Executive -resulting in an imbalance in legislative
governance processes and gender structure.
“While collaboration and coordination are essential elements of good democratic governance processes and practices, the overreaching influence for executive related interests over Public Goods seems conducive to hinder Balance of Power due to lack of political will to independently exercise their constitutional functions,” the Executive Director of IREDD said.
Mr. Yeaney added: “IREDD will endeavor to expand its Legislative Performance Monitoring Program at the national and local levels. Achieve the overarching objective of this program, which required sustained support.”