MONROVIA – Grand Gedeh County Senator, Alphonso Gaye, who was elected to the Senate in 2011 has been bade farewell by his colleagues in the Senate as he completes his nine-year tenure with a decision not to re-contest.
As a sign of respect and recognition for his nine-year service to the Senate and Liberian people, Plenary of the Senate organized a mini-farewell program for the retiring Senator.
Though Senator Gaye still has up to December to function as Senator, the Senate chose its closing day to conduct the program since he would not form part of the batch of 15 new Senators to be elected in the December elections.
Senate Pro Tempore Albert Chie praised Senator Gaye for his contribution to the Senate and said he would be missed for the many jokes he shared during heated debates, amongst Senators.
Gaye is a Unity Party Senator. He entered the Senate during the final second term of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration.
Prior to his election as Senator by the People of Grand Gedeh County, he worked in the private and public sectors as, final administrative specialist with USAID, former Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Transport, and Director General of the General Services Agency.
While in the Senate, Senator Gaye served on many committees which include: the Committee on Transport, Governance Committee, Health Gender, Social Welfare, Ways Means, Finance and Budget, amongst others.
Gaye who boasted of his competence and education says it is now time that he goes to the private sector to contribute his quota to the nation in the private. “My distinguished colleagues the challenges are enormous at such setting up leadership and constituting working committees should not be based on who voted for or against.
Like his colleagues, Senator Gaye also receive accolade from staffers of the Senate who hailed him for standing up for them, especially during their struggle to reclaim benefits and salary taken from them by a system applied by government they described as bad.
In a related Senate news, Senator Johnathan Kaipay of Brand Bassa County was also certificated by the Senate as to representative to ECOWAS parliament. Senator Kaipay replaces Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County who recently tendered in his resignation from the Parliament.
While at the parliament, Senator Johnson rose to the position of third Vice Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament. He, alongside Senator George Weah, now President Weah were elected to represent Liberia at ECOWAS.
In his acceptance speech, Senator Kaipay who is from the opposition Liberty Party (LP) promised to ably represent Liberia at the ECOWAS Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Senate Wednesday took its constituency break to return next year in January of 2021.