Monrovia — The Liberian Senate has adjourned its Special Session with the passage of key Legislative instruments of national interest.
Highlighting instruments passed during the one-month Special Session, the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Albert T. Chie, named the new Elections Law of Liberia, which he said originated from the House of Representatives, ensures a commitment to the 30 percent gender quota by political parties.
Pro-Tempore Chie further mentioned that the Senate also amended Section 5.2 of the Code of Conduct, which allows public officials who have the desire of contesting pending elections to resign one year to said election as opposed to the previous two and three years in the old Act.
Also, he pointed out that based on an appeal from the President, the International Community, and some citizens, the Senate made a retrograde adjustment to the date of the conduct of the National Housing and Population Census from March 2023 to now commence on October 24 and ends on November 7, 2022.
Pro-Tempore Chie during his closing statement revealed that as part of the reason for the President's recall of the Legislature, the Senate in keeping with its legal authority after scrutiny, overwhelmingly voted two-thirds of its membership to confirm Justice Sie-A-Nyene to replace the current Chief Justice Francis S. Kporkor Sr, who is scheduled to retire in fulfillment of Article 72(b) of the Constitution of Liberia.
In order to strengthen the economy, Pro-Temp Chie mentioned that the Senate concurred with the House of Representatives on three financing agreements to build crucial infrastructure, stimulate economic growth and improve macroeconomic stability, and amendment to the Revenue Code to promote investment.
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With respect to electricity, he added that the Senate conducted a public hearing with the relevant authorities and the Senate anticipated that a new platform of national commitment will improve services, especially when Liberians have taken charge with the end of the management contract, adding " We look forward to an increment in electricity generation with the operation of the CLSG Line from Cote d'Ivoire for which the Legislature appropriated several million dollars in the restated 2022 National Budget.
Regarding Security, Pro-Tempore Chie said Senators are always concerned about the issue of national security, which he added was brought into focus during the Special Session, assuring that the Senate will remain engaged with the National Security Architecture through the Committee on Defense, Security, and Intelligence.
It can be recalled that based on his constitutional prerogative, President George M. Weah through a Proclamation issued on August 9, 2022, recalled the Legislature from its second quarterly break to urgently address some national issues.
