The House leadership says the Legislature is in talks to identify a more suitable venue for the President to deliver the State of the Nation Address because of ongoing renovation work at the Capitol.
Monrovia, January 7, 2025: The majority bloc of the House of Representatives says the 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA) will not be held in the William R. Tolbert Joint Chambers at the Legislature.
The bloc's Chairman on Rules, Order, and Administration at the House of Representatives, Rep. James Kolleh, says the decision is due to ongoing renovation work at the Capitol Building.
Briefing journalists, Kolleh argued that it is impractical to complete the renovation work before January 30, 2025, the constitutionally mandated date for the President to deliver the SONA.
"It is not possible for us to do renovation work from now to return on January 13, 2025. So, the issue of talk of having SONA at the Capitol is hereby cancelled," Kolleh disclosed.
In December 2024, the Joint Chamber of the Capitol Building was destroyed by fire at the height of a political crisis that rocked the Legislature.
The joint chamber was the meeting point of the majority bloc of the House of Representatives which dethroned House Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa and elected Richard Nagbe Koon as the new Speaker.
Fire engulfed the chamber a day after a violent protest at the Capitol.
Kolleh has disclosed that the Legislature is currently in talks to identify a more suitable venue for the event.
"The next destination for the State of the Nation Address is a discussion that is ongoing," he explained.
"Where can we have SONA? Where would be appropriate? Where would be conducive enough for such an event? That is the discussion we have," he continued.
He noted that the decision involves collaboration between the Committee on Executive, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Executive branch.
Kolleh went on to say the Committee on Executive is very instrumental in working with the Executive branch of government to give feedback to Rules, Order, and Administration, as well as the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
He indicated that foreign signatories will grace the program.
Article 58 of Liberia's Constitution mandates that the President shall, on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, present the administration's legislative program for the ensuing session.
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It mandates the President to once a year report to the Legislature on the state of the Republic.
In presenting the economic condition of the Republic, the Constitution mandates that the report shall cover expenditure as well as income.
This year's address is expected to shed light on key initiatives under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's ARREST Agenda, focusing on Agriculture, Roads, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism.
While no specific venues have been named, the urgency to finalize a location is mounting.
Representative Kolleh assured the public that consultations are ongoing to ensure a venue that reflects the significance of the occasion.
