Liberia: Senate Confirms Boakai’s First Batch of Nominees

The Senate has confirmed the first batch of presidential nominees less than 24 hours after they were examined by Senators on their competence, credentials, and experiences at a confirmation hearing held on Wednesday.

Those confirmed are Boima S. Kamara, Finance and Development Planning Minister, Sylvester Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, and James Dorbor Jallah, Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).

Kamara previously held positions as Minister of Finance and Development Planning and Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Liberia during former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration. Grisgby previously served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and was former President Sirleaf’s last Minister of State for Presidential Affairs—a position that has been entrusted to him again. Jallah previously served as Head of the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) and most recently served at the helm of The Carter Center, an international nongovernmental organization operating in Liberia.

The Senate made the confirmations based on separate reports from the Senate Committees on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget and Executive. The confirmation hearings for the nominees were conducted by the committees, chaired by Senators Prince Moye of Bong County and James Biney of Maryland County, on January 31.

The committee reports submitted to the Senate Plenary on February 1 stated that the confirmed individuals possessed the necessary academic qualifications, competence, and experience for their respective positions, as nominated by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

The confirmation of these officials was widely embraced by the 28 senators present during regular legislative deliberations. This confirmation process aligns with Article 54 of the 1986 Liberian constitution, which outlines the President's responsibility to nominate and, with the Senate’s consent, appoint and commission various government positions.

Among other responsibilities, Article 54 of the Liberian constitution states that the President is responsible for nominating and appointing cabinet ministers, deputy and assistant cabinet ministers, ambassadors, ministers, consuls, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, and Judges of subordinate courts, among others.