MONROVIA – An influential and high-ranking member of the Liberian Senate Abraham Darius Dillon has come under scrutiny for participating in legislative deliberations leading to the confirmation of Education Minister-Designate Jarso Maley Jallah, who he has a closed relationship with.
By Obediah Johnson
Senator Dillon, who is representing the people of Montserrado County in the 55th National Legislature, is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
His younger brother is married to the younger sister of Madam Jallah.
Speaking during the confirmation hearing of the Education Minister-designate held at the Chambers of the Liberian Senate on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Senator Dillon reneged to recuse himself from the deliberation leading to the confirmation of his “in-law” on grounds of being courageous to execute his constitutional mandate.
Customarily, members of the Liberian Senate recuse themselves or abstain from confirmation proceedings of nominees who they have personal or family ties with. The move is intended to avoid conflict of interest.
But though Senator Dillon admitted to having a relationship with Dr. Jallah, he actively participated in the proceedings to the surprise of many of his colleagues and onlookers during the hearing.
“The nominee is my in-law. My younger brother is married to her younger sister. I sit in a very difficult and challenging situation at this point. But my job demands me to be courageous at this time. I will not recuse myself because I do not feel conflicted.”
Many of those who witnessed the hearing observed that Senator Dillon’s decision was intended to showboat by satisfying his personal feelings, presenting himself to asking tough questions to nominees during confirmation hearings, instead of following the traditional norms or practice of the Liberian Senate.
Though he appeared tough in asking questions during the hearing, Senator Dillon has been accused of recommending his “in-law” for the position to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
“Madam Nominee, did you sit or have you sat with the President of Liberia to know the vision for this sector? What is your vision on ensuring quality education in public schools where education will be free from kindergarten to 12th grade? How do you intend to rate or grade the school system in this country?” Senator Dillon inquired.
However, the pre-arranging of questions to suit a nominee favored by a Senate committee carrying out confirmation due to ties with the head of the committee or other members is not a strange phenomenon.
Senators having closed relationship with nominees are normally seen lobbying with their colleagues to pave the way for the unhindered confirmation of their “buddies, friends, or relatives.”
Most often, Senators on various committees are in the persistent habit of heaping praises on nominees for being experienced and qualified to head the various positions they have been nominated to, prior to finalizing their respective reports for submission to the Plenary for possible action. This has the propensity of discouraging the asking of tough questions or thoroughly scrutinizing the credentials of nominees during confirmation hearings.
Plenary is the highest decision-making body of the Senate.
In keeping with the Standing Rules and Procedures of the Liberian Senate, confirmations are done by the Plenary.
Many nominees feel complacent or reluctant to respond to inquiries from other members of the various committees of the Senate due to the closed relationships they have with either the heads or other members of the committee.
At times, nominees are promised to not ‘bother of being confirmed’.
With the open admittance of Senator Dillon to having a closed relationship with Education Minister-Designate Jarso Maley Jallah, the possibility of her swift confirmation is certain, void of any further enquiry or checkmating of her credentials.
At the start of the confirmation, no Senator observed or established whether or not the credentials of the nominees submitted were fake or factual during the separate hearings.