Cllr. Ben Sagbeh Says Article 80d Of Liberia’s Constitution Major Factor For Rights Denial
A Bong County Senatorial hopeful, Cllr. Benedict Sagbeh has called for an amendment in Article 80 D of the Liberian constitution, which sets the benchmark for electoral constituency demarcation.
The portion of the constitution states that “Each constituency shall have an approximately equal population of over 20,000 or such number of citizens as the legislature shall prescribe in keeping with population growth and movements as revealed by a national census; provided that the total number of electoral constituencies in the republic shall not exceed one hundred.”
The prominent lawyer believes the segment of the constitution creates a breeding ground for under representation some segments of society and must be examined.
Cllr. Sagbeh said denial of right to representation is not only wrong, but a breach of the Universal declaration on human rights and Articles of the universal human rights11″B” and 18 of the Constitution of Liberia.
In keeping with article 80 D of the constitution, Fuamah and Sinoyea districts in Bong County, the seat he is expected to vie for in the midterm senatorial race, are combined under a single constituency under electoral District 7.
“Let Fuama have its own representative 2023, let Sanoyea have its own representative 2023”, Cllr. Sagbeh said adding, there’s no need to join districts together because some have over 30,000 inhabitants.
Cllr.Sagbeh wants 80 D of the constitution put up for amendment to be voted upon.
“Let Fuama get its own representative 2023, let Sanoyea get its own representative 2023, there’s no need to join district together because some has over 30,000 inhabitants.
The Bong County senatorial hopeful is also recommending that President George Manneh Weah places article 80 D in the pending 2023 referendum.
Meanwhile, Cllr. Sagbeh has said that if article 80 D is not placed in the 2023 referendum, if elected as senator of Bong County he will lobby with his colleagues to amend this section of the Constitution of Republic of Liberia.