Lights Out at Capitol Hill: House Debates Billion-Dollar Deal With Torchlight

The House of Representatives was Tuesday night reduced to a scene of national embarrassment after lawmakers were forced to conduct legislative business in near-total darkness due to repeated power outages and the absence of a functional backup generator.

The shocking incident occurred during a late-evening sitting the third day of the third-quarter session of the 55th Legislature while the Chief Clerk was reading an official communication concerning the ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) Mineral Development Agreement. Without warning, electricity failed inside the chamber not once, but twice throwing lawmakers into darkness.

As confusion spread across the floor, concerns were raised about activating a standby generator to restore power. Those hopes were quickly dashed when it was disclosed that the only generator assigned to the House of Representatives was broken, leaving the nation’s lawmaking body helpless and exposed.

In an attempt to salvage the situation, Chief Clerk Mildred Siryon took the extraordinary step of instructing a staff member from the Sergeant-at-Arms to provide a torchlight offering barely a fraction of illumination so she could continue reading the communication.

The image of Liberia’s Legislature operating by flashlight sent shockwaves through the chamber.
Nimba County District #9 Representative Taa Wongbe openly condemned the situation, describing it as a disgrace to one of the highest branches of government.

“Session cannot continue under this atmosphere. This is an embarrassment to us,” Rep. Wongbe declared. “Mr. Speaker, adjourn this session. Let us go home and return on Thursday.”

The Nimba lawmaker went further, issuing a direct warning to the House leadership.
“If current does not come within the next ten minutes, I will ask my colleagues to walk out. We cannot sit here and degrade ourselves under these conditions.”

The repeated power failure within a single session, coupled with the lack of a functioning backup generator, has raised serious questions about preparedness, leadership, and accountability within the Legislature. Critics argue that a body entrusted with passing the national budget and overseeing billions of dollars in public spending should not be incapable of maintaining basic operational standards.

Observers say the incident speaks volumes about misplaced priorities, noting that while lawmakers debate national development and transparency, the Legislature itself appears unable to ensure uninterrupted electricity relying instead on the Liberia Electricity Corporation and a nonfunctional generator.

For many Liberians, Tuesday night’s torchlight session was more than a technical failure it was a symbol of institutional decay, casting a long shadow over the credibility of the House of Representatives and its readiness to move the nation forward.