Monrovia – The Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has warned President Joseph N. Boakai of a serious and potentially catastrophic situation due to what they term as the President’s alleged failure to take charge of the governance process of the country.
By Victoria Wesseh, contributing writer
Speaking in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa, LNBA President Cllr. Sylvester D. Rennie expressed concern over the current tensions between the Executive and Judiciary branches regarding budgetary allocations. He noted that this conflict not only creates animosity but also paralyzes government functions.
Cllr. Rennie stated that the current state of affairs under President Boakai’s administration demonstrates a lack of control over the governance of the country. “We want the President to take charge of the governance of the country. The way the government is running, it appears as if the President doesn’t have control. President Boakai served as Vice President to former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for twelve years and witnessed how she maintained control despite challenges. President Boakai needs to assert his authority, or the government will gradually collapse,” Cllr. Rennie warned.
He pointed out that the ongoing conflict between the Judiciary and the Executive could lead to a loss of confidence in the governance system due to the ineffective functioning of the judicial system. “If this situation continues, nobody will want to come to court because the government doesn’t respect its own aims. Therefore, the President needs to take urgent action to restore control,” he added.
Cllr. Rennie emphasized that the current disagreement could lead to the breakdown of effective governance. “If one sector of the government is not functioning fully, it means that the entire government is paralyzed,” he explained.
He described the Rule of Law as a prominent pillar of the government’s ARREST Agenda and urged the government to support the judiciary with the necessary budgetary allocations to fulfill its promises to the Liberian people.
The legal luminary recommended that President Boakai start negotiating with the Judiciary and take charge of the governance process before it is too late. He expressed frustration that the President had organized a tripartite meeting with the three branches of government to address the 2024 National Budget issue, yet no significant impact was made following the President’s intervention.
Cllr. Rennie further questioned how the President expects the government to prosecute high-profile criminal cases when the judiciary is not financially supported.
