EDITORIAL: A Call For A United Legislature: An Effort All Liberians Must Embrace
EFFORTS BY THE Liberia Council of Churches and the Interreligious Council of Liberia to initiate a peace pact at the House of Representatives of Liberia’s 55th Bicameral Legislature It must be embraced by the majority, minority, and all Liberians.
THIS IS BECAUSE the current leadership crisis at the Lower House which is tied to the legitimacy of the Speakership position is extremely worrisome and should claim the attention of the religious community.
THIS LEGISLATIVE CRISIS, which has being compounded by the suspension of eighteen lawmakers from the self-styled minority bloc and what appears to be the unwillingness of both sides to reach a consensus in finding an amicable resolution to this prolonged crisis, subsequently holding the Legislature hostage sets Africa’s oldest republic on a time bomb.
THE MAJORITY BLOC needs to reconsider lifting the suspensions of lawmakers whom they accused of violating the House rules and ensure inclusive committee membership, among other decisions crucial to ending the impasse.
BECAUSE THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL and tension-packed situation at the Lower House comes at a time when the world’s eighth poorest country is still grappling with the challenges of providing basic social services, including healthcare, education, infrastructure, and electricity.
LIBERIA IS AT critical juncture where the Lower House that should be a cornerstone of democracy and a driver of national progress finds itself as a hotspot of controversies, which has fuelled what appears to be an never-ending bitter disputes over the legitimacy of the speakership position that has to a disproportionate height hijacked legislative responsibilities.
GIVEN ALL THAT has happened at the Legislature over the last six months, the intervention of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) and the Interreligious Council of Liberia (IRCL) through its two-day Reconciliation Dialogue geared towards cultivating genuine peace and unity which, in effect will propel good Governance is laudable and must be welcomed. in-position, opposition, and no-position.
IN THIS VEIN, we at K NEWS lend our fullest support to the suggestions of the two revered members’ organization of the religious community whose intervention offers a clear and actionable path to resolving the current impasse.
THE INTERVENTION OF the LCC and IRCL to bridge the gaps between lawmakers and restore normality to the Lower House are not just laudable but will also plays a pivotal role in stabilizing the political stalemate at the Capitol Building.
THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY well known for its roles in promoting peace and social justice, have recognized the urgency to create a pathway that foster useful discussion, disagreeing to agree, reaching a common ground for reconciliation by bringing together the Majority and Minority blocks.
The LCC and IRCL emphasis on mutual respect, accountability, and ethical leadership is a reminder of the values that should guide our democratic discourses in the governance of the state.
WE ALSO SUPPORT assertions by participants of the reconciliatory dialogue; participants articulated their positions and proposed actionable solutions to resolve the impasse. The majority bloc called to lift the suspensions of lawmakers, ensure inclusive committee membership, and continue the reconciliation process as a step in the right direction. These measures would not only restore representation for thousands of constituents but also foster an environment of collaboration and consensus-building.
ON THE OTHER hand, the minority bloc’s emphasis on adhering to constitutional provisions for electing a speaker, calling for the resignation of embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, and suggesting awaiting a Supreme Court ruling, if necessary, reflects a commitment to due process and the rule of law. These proposals, while differing in approach, share a common goal: to restore functionality and integrity to the House of Representatives.
THE INSIGHTS SHARED by the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, further reinforce the need for lawmakers to prioritize unity and their responsibility to the citizens they serve.
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