Liberia: LACC Nominees’ Fate Hangs in Balance

A strong-headed group of the so-called “like-minded  Senators, yesterday averted attempts by some of his colleagues to confirm the newly nominated team of commissioners to the recently modified Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.

The group has expressed concerns about the President's decision to nominate candidates to tenure positions with the elections only a few months away. 

They believe that confirming the nominees before the election poses a risk and have urged for a delay until after the election results are determined.

“For us to be voting on this issue today, we will be injuring Edwin Martin and the other people whose tenure has not ended,” said Senator Abe Darius Dillion who was joined by the so-called “like-minded  Senators in opposing the move.

“If the President wants to violate that aspect, we will not aid and abet it as a Senate and that is the ground we are standing on,” Dillion added.

Dillon, along with Senators Prince Johnson, Jonathan Boycharles Sogbie, and Steve Zargo, asserted that the new LACC Act is to serve as the new repository for assets declaration. 

“The new LACC law says those nominated on the LACC  should declare their assets before they are confirmed. We have not seen any such asset declaration; the Act also says no two commissioners should come from the same county, sitting on the commission at the same time. Majority of the nominees come from the same county,” Dillon declared.

Dillon warned that it would be utterly wrong for them to knowingly confirm these people to the institution that is supposed to be ensuring integrity in the country.

The seating commissioner Dave Wilson, who has been renominated, hails from Rivercess County; while the nominated chair is also from Rivercess. “We who passed this law for once, for God’s sake we can’t allow this to happen.” 

Dillon recalled the Supreme Court reminded the Legislature that when it establishes a law and grants its tenure, it should be understood that tenure is a contract; “when you are dissolving that institution before the tenure ends, you are breaching the contract. For us to be voting on this issue today, we will be injuring Edwin Martin and the other people whose tenure has not ended.”

The press briefing in the Chambers followed an announcement and plea by Protemp Albert Tugbe Chie, calling for an hour break, to enable him and his partisan Senators to hold some consultations relevant to the confirmation vote on the LACC nominees. 

The Protemp’s action was also prompted by the fact that there was a lack of enough Senators to help get the nominees confirmed.

Upon the one-hour break, the Pro Tem announced that the issue concerning the LACC, which was an agenda item in yesterday's sitting, was deferred to another unspecified time.

Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned for its second constituency break of the 6th Session and will return to Session after the October 10 polls.

During the adjournment press briefing, Chie disclosed that nominated Commissioners of the LACC are still being vetted, with crucial issues on their Counties of origin, in line with Section 6.8 of the new LACC Act which says that no two commissioners should have the same county of origin.

Additionally, Chie, boasted of several nominees being confirmed by the Senate which include but were not limited to the Confirmation of nominees to positions at the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), the Governance Commission, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority and the Board of Tex Appeal amongst others.

With respect to the draft revised Public Health Law, the Grand Kru County Lawmaker revealed that  the law is currently at the Committee level, noting; “After numerous public hearings, at Senate Consultative meetings and in Plenary; the  Senate could not concur with the House of Representatives due to several unresolved issues.”