MONROVIA — As House lawmakers debated adding 16 new seats to their chamber, a prominent Liberian lawyer told them plainly: the country needs roads, electricity and clean water -- not more legislators on the public payroll.
Cllr. Elisha T.J. Forkeyoh, Secretary General of the Liberia National Bar Association, issued the rebuke in a written statement Friday, one day after the House opened debate on a Special Committee report that would expand the chamber from 73 to 89 members based on the 2022 National Census. Forkeyoh wrote in his individual capacity.
"As a natural-born Liberian who has lived, studied, and continues to work in Liberia, I feel compelled to speak out strongly against the ongoing discussions," he wrote.
His central argument was economic. Every new seat, he warned, carries permanent costs -- salaries, staff, offices and logistics -- that would raise government spending indefinitely and divert resources from the infrastructure and services Liberians actually need. In a country where the national budget is already heavily weighted toward recurrent expenditure and the salaries and benefits of public officials, he argued, expanding the legislature is the wrong direction entirely.
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"It is deeply concerning that lawmakers are prioritizing an increase in their own numbers over tangible development outcomes," Forkeyoh wrote.
He said there was "no compelling empirical or developmental justification" for the expansion in a country of fewer than 7 million people, and pushed back against the assumption that more lawmakers automatically produces better governance or service delivery. On the contrary, he warned, a larger legislature risks slower decision-making, weakened accountability and more avenues for waste and patronage.
The House proposal uses a county-specific, tier-based framework drawn from the 2022 census. Under the plan, Montserrado would receive three additional seats, Nimba and Bong two each, and 10 other counties one apiece. River Gee, Gbarpolu, Grand Kru and River Cess would see no change. The Special Committee acknowledged there is no single uniform national threshold governing the allocation formula.
Forkeyoh called on civil society organizations, youth groups, professionals and community leaders to reject the proposal and resist any measure that increases the financial burden on the state without delivering direct benefits to ordinary Liberians.
"Development is driven by sound policies, effective implementation, and accountability -- not by the size of the legislature," he wrote. "For too long, many Liberians have endured poverty and hardship while public resources are disproportionately consumed by government operations. This must change."
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Lawmakers have not set a timeline for a final vote. Debate on the proposal continued this week without a decision.
