Liberia: Speaker Chambers Rallies Lawmakers to Unite ahead of 2023 Crucial Elections at Opening of 54th Legislature’s Final Sitting

CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – As the 54th Legislature embarks on its sixth and final sitting, House Speaker Bhofal Chambers has called for the members of both chambers to unite as they discharge their constitutional responsibilities. 

In his remarks at the opening session on Monday at the Capitol, Speaker Chambers said they were reconvening with a high sense of responsibility, renewed energy, vision, and preparedness, to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.

“2022 has ended, and it should be our collective prayer that all the adversities, challenges, distractions, and maniacal political thinking and attitudes end with it and that this 2023 should kindle a spirit of oneness, patriotism, and harmony as we sail through this electioneering period,” he said.

The reconvening of the Lawmakers is in line with Article 32(a) of the Liberian Constitution, which states, “the Legislature shall assemble in Regular Session once a year, on the Second Working Monday in January”.

It comes as all 73 members of the House of Representatives and 15 Senators will be seeking re-election in the Presidential and Legislative Elections that are scheduled in October this year.

The Speaker expressed hope that the current batch of lawmakers will emerge victorious and return in 2024. 

“It is my impassioned and/or fervent hope and prayer that we all will meet again in session in the year 2024. May such realization come out of the grace and blessings of the Divine Arbiter of human destiny,” he said.

A year of Wonders

Looking back to the Fifth Sitting, Speaker Chambers described 2022 an “auspicious or remarkable year; a year of wonders or miracles.”

He said despite some degree of socio-political and economic challenges, the Legislature, with a constructive governance architecture, meaningfully and dutifully worked with the other branches of Government to realign all programs for the assurance of positive outcomes.

He added: “As the world looks to security, Liberia has had its own share and experience of crisis, he said. However, Thankfully, with the engagement(s) and service- oriented passion by you, my reverential Colleagues, coupled with the masterful stewardship of the Head of State and President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Dr. George M. Weah, Sr., rapid and positive improvements were generated with qualitative results.”

He recorded that during the course of the Fifth Sitting, the House held 65 Regular Sessions, 36 Executive Sessions, 24 Appearances of Ministers/Directors

He said total number of bill passed were 74, and out of this number, the Senate Bill Concurred with five, the number of House bills passed was 12, House’s Joint Resolution passed is three.

As people’s direct Representatives, he called on his colleagues to exercise their “natural and inalienable rights by establishing a framework of Government for the purpose of promoting unity, liberty, peace, stability, equality, justice and human rights under the rule of law, with opportunities for the political, social, moral, spiritual and cultural advancement of our society, for ourselves and for posterity.”

He further mentioned that there is a glaring signal for all of them to do our work in 2023 with dedication commitment, character, and a deep sense of patriotic fervor or alertness.

He also congratulated United States Congressman Kevin McCarthy as the newly elected Speaker of the United States Congress.