“GoL Must Assume Responsibility for Niko Ivanka”

President George Weah: "We are convinced that the African Continent can build resilience policies and responses through regionalism and linkages across borders."

...Says Senate

Following a strongly worded resolution, the Senate Plenary, through Protempore Albert Tugbe Chie, yesterday requested its Committee on Judiciary to prepare a resolution that will mandate the Government of Liberia to assume responsibility for the losses sustained in the sinking of the ill-fated Niko Ivanka vessel.

Proffering the motion for the drafting of the resolution, Maryland County Senator J. Gbleh-bo Brown lauded the Senate Joint Committee for the report, expressing profound sympathy for families of those who perished in that sea disaster.

Senator Brown’s motion reads thus: “Now, having been established by the report that the owners of the Niko Ivanka vessel woefully failed to set devices on board the vessel and that they did not follow established safety procedures/measures; and has also established that the management of the National Port Authority and the Liberian Maritime Authority grossly reneged in their responsibility in ensuring that ships sailing in Liberian waters meet and observe basic safety standards, which led to the loss of human lives, properties, and basic goods, I hereby move that the committee’s recommendations be adopted, and the government of Liberia takes appropriate measures that will prevent the re-occurrence; and that the government assumes responsibility for the losses sustained. In so doing, this plenary should pass a resolution that will spell out the details of the safety measures to be adopted in line with the joint committee’s report; and to also spell out the liability of the government to the victims.”

Senate to Boost Police Operations in 2022 National Budget 

The Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Albert T. Chie, has instructed the Senate Statutory Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget to ensure that there is a budgetary allocation in the pending 2022 Calendar year budget for the procurement of one Pickup and two Motorbikes each County for Police operations.

The Pro-Tempore’s instruction was necessitated by concerns raised by Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, over the lack of mobility for the Police and other security actors in the various counties, which she said is seriously hampering their operations to effectively fight against crimes and illegal activities, as well as investigations in the 15 political subdivisions of Liberia.

The Grand Bassa County Senator named 11 murder cases that occurred in Monrovia and its environs without any investigative information from the Security actors to the public, something she noted is leading to the alarming rate of crimes in the country.

Meanwhile, the Chairman on Defense, Intelligence, Security and, Veteran Affairs of the Liberian Senate, Lofa County Senator Stephen J. H. Zargo, has clarified that the committee on November 10, 2021, held, and concluded a lengthy meeting with all security actors concerning security concerns raised by Senator Karnga-Lawrence as well as many Liberians.

He promised that his committee will make a comprehensive presentation detailing the outcome and findings of the meeting during the Senate’s next sitting.

In another development, Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has reminded his colleagues that the extension of 11 days requested by President George Manneh Weah for submission of the draft 2022 national budget, expired yesterday, November 11.

With about a month left to the end of the two-month extension of their special session, Dillon has expressed fear that additional pressure will be exerted on Senators to speedily pass the budget without doing proper and thorough due diligence.

Meanwhile, the outspoken Montserrado County lawmaker has also dis disused Senators who have not received their gasoline allotments for four months.