Liberia: Majority Bloc Reconstitutes Ways, Means & Finance Committee, Suspends Three Lawmakers
Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The Majority Bloc within the House of Representatives, throughout a session within the joint chambers, has restructured the Ways, Means, and Finance Committee beneath the management of Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh @frontpageafricaonline.com
In a movement, members voted to take away Rep. Dixon Wlawlee Seboe (District #16, Montserrado County) as Chairman and Rep. Ellen Attoh Wreh as Co-chairperson attributable to their frequent absences.
Deputy Speaker Fallah has begun appointing members to the brand new committee, naming Rep. P. Mike Jurry (District #1, Maryland County) as Chairman, Rep. Dorwohn T. Gleekia (District #6, Nimba County) as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Revenue, and Rep. Michael Thomas as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Expenditure. Fallah introduced that extra appointments would comply with within the coming days.
The Majority Bloc has additionally acquired the draft nationwide funds. After studying the communication accompanying the draft, members voted to authorize the newly reconstituted Ways, Means, and Finance Committee, together with the present Public Accounts Committee, to collaborate with their Senate counterparts to evaluate the funds and make suggestions to the plenary.
In one other transfer, the bloc voted to take away the signatures of Seboe and Wreh from all House accounts at numerous banks. Deputy Speaker Fallah directed the clerical workers to inform the Central Bank of Liberia and different business banks of this resolution.
Additionally, Rep. James Kolleh (District #2, Bong County) was appointed Acting Chairman of the Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration.
Suspension of Three Lawmakers
The Majority Bloc has additionally suspended three lawmakers for 30 assembly days.
They embrace Rep. Marvin Cole (CDC, District #3, Bong County), Rep. Edward P. Flomo (CDC, District #13, Montserrado County), Rep. Abu Bana Kamara (CDC, District #15, Montserrado County).
The lawmakers have been accused by members of the Majority Bloc of breaching House guidelines. They have been alleged to have obstructed different lawmakers from attending classes and bodily attacked their colleagues.
Initially, six lawmakers have been positioned beneath investigation. However, the Majority Bloc voted to increase the investigation of three lawmakers—Rep. Saah Foko (CDC, District #9, Montserrado County), Rep. Alex Noah, and Rep. Zinnah Norman (Gbarpolu County)—till Thursday.
Some lawmakers criticized the method, describing it as selective justice. However, FrontPage Africa gathered that these lawmakers are searching for to align with the Majority Bloc and have requested pardon.
Rep. Zinnah Norman has already defected to the Majority Bloc.
The movement for suspension stipulates that the three lawmakers will likely be denied all privileges, together with wage and advantages, in the course of the suspension interval. They have additionally been barred from getting into the Capitol Building premises.
Background and Growing Crisis
The Majority bloc, searching for to take away the Speaker deserted the session and has since been assembly within the joint chambers. On Monday, President Boakai submitted the funds to their presiding officer Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah via Deputy Chief Clerk Comicks Chea, a transfer that sparked outrage amongst House management loyal to Speaker Fonati Koffa. Speaker Koffa’s camp expressed disappointment in President Boakai’s actions and threatened authorized motion.
This newest resolution by the Majority Bloc additional deepens the disaster throughout the House of Representatives, as the general public eagerly awaits the subsequent steps from Speaker Koffa and the Minority Bloc.
