By Our Staff Writer
President George Manneh Weah is delivering his 2nd State of the Nation Address to the joint session of the Legislature on Capitol Hill in Monrovi, with a reflection of his commitment made to uphold and defend the Liberian Constitution.
Not saying how well or how badly he kept this pledge one year ago, President Weah, who has come under serious criticisms for violating provisions in the constitution and other laws since coming to power, said “I took the oath to the Liberian people and the Almighty God to uphold and defend the Liberian constitution to the best of my ability.”
In violation of the National Code of Conduct Act, the Liberian leader and his officials failed to declare their assets and liabilities upon taken office. Instead they were demolishing their properties and acquiring new ones on a huge scale.
The CDC Standard Bearer also broke several other laws by circumventing the Senate’s power by going ahead with commissioning Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States. George Manneh Patten, Sr. and appointing former Lawmaker Gabriel Nyankan as head of the Secretariat of the Liberia Extractive Transparency Initiative (LEITI) in disregard for the law requiring hiring by the Multi Stakeholders Group (MSG).
“10.1 Declaration of Assets and Performance Bonds Every Public Official and Employee of Government involved in making decisions affecting contracting, tendering or procurement, and issuance of licenses of various types shall sign performance or financial bonds and shall in addition declare his or her income, assets and liabilities prior to taking office and thereafter: a. at the end of every three years; b. on promotion or progression from one level to another; c. upon transfer to another public office; and d. upon retirement or resignation.”
President Weah has also announced his Legislative Agenda for this year. Among Bills he is submitting to the Legislature include the tuition-free payment for students in all public universities and colleges, the National draft Youth Act and one to revise the Act establishing the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI).
He also has praise for the Liberian Legislature who he said successfully passed 26 Bills during the first session of the 54th Legislature last year.
Among the Bills past by both Houses and forwarded to the President to be signed into law are the Lands Rights Act, Financial Agreement for the West Africa Power Pool, the Local government Act, the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the Export/Import Bank.