Full Speech Deliver by Speaker Chambers at Opening of 6th & Final Session of Liberia Legislature
Distinguished Colleagues:
2023 is here. 2023 has been scheduled by law for the conduct of our national elections, involving two out of the three branches of the Liberian Government, precisely, the Executive and the Legislature, and that is dictated by our laws.
Today, we are beginning our 6th Sitting, which is also cumulating into the final sitting of the 54th Legislature, as the next second-working Monday of January will be in 2024, at which time, the 55th Legislature shall begin. 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
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.
Our today’s convocation in this Sacred Chambers is in consonance 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”. We have now come, with a high sense of responsibility, renewed energy, vision and preparedness, to fulfill this very important Clause or Article of the Constitution.
Honorable Colleagues! The year before was one to be described as “Annus Mirabilis,” which means, an auspicious or remarkable year; a year of wonders or miracles.
As a Government, in the year 2022 we experienced some degree of socio-political and economic challenges. With a constructive governance architecture, we as a Legislature, specifically the House of Representatives meaningfully and dutifully worked with the other branches of Government to realign all programs for the assurance of positive outcomes.
As the world looks to security, Liberia has had its own share and experience of crisis. 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.
Esteemed Colleagues, for the year 2022 the Fifth Sitting of the 54th Legislature, several legislative actions were taken.
So far, we have recorded the following. Briefly, they are;
65 ………….…. Regular Sessions
1 ………………. Special Session
36 …………….. Executive Sessions
24 …………… Appearances of Ministers/Directors
Total Sessions/Appearances …………………… 125Others include:
Total No. of Bills Introduced in the House ……………… 117
Total No. of Bills Passed ………………………………………… 74
Number of Executive Bills Passed ………….………………… 53Number of Senate Bill Concurred with …………………… 5
Number of House Bills Passed ……………………………… 12
Number of House Joint Resolution Passed ………… 3
Number of Certificate Extension Passed ………………. 1
Total number of Bills in Committee Room ………….. 58
Number of House Bills in Committee Room ………… 33
Number of Senate Bills in Committee Room …………. 9
Number of Executive Bills in Committee Room ……… 12
Number of Petitions in Committee Room …………….… 4
Esteemed Honorable Colleagues, we are the direct Representatives of the people; therefore, it is vitally important that we always put our people first by our actions.
As it is explicit in the Liberian Constitution, the Preamble clearly encourages us, the people’s direct Representatives, to exercise our 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 political, social, moral, spiritual and cultural advancement of our society, for ourselves and for posterity. There is a glaring signal for all of us to do our work in this 2023 with dedication commitment, character, and a deep sense of patriotic fervor or alertness.
As Members of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia, it is only but fair to congratulate the Right Honorable Congressman Kevin McCarthy as the newly elected Speaker of the United States Congress.
We pray that God endows him with the wisdom and strength to ably lead the Honorable House of Representatives of the United States’ Congress.
Distinguished Honorable Colleagues! Let us all, with clearer lenses, in the true spirit of objective reality, keenly observe the social mood of our people, the influences that drive them, their social attitude and actions. With this position, we can all, in concert, address the needs of our people adequately. In all that we do, let us put our people first.
Distinguished Colleagues, let us all bear in mind that God loves us dearly, inspite of the myriad of the challenges. We must seek to please God by our actions, knowing that His grace and mercy have brought us this far.
Long live the National Legislature! Long live the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia!
May God Bless Us All!
Thanks!
