By Jerromie S. Walters
The House of Representatives “Majority Bloc”, through its Chair on Rules, Order and Administration Representative James Kolleh, has revealed that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) will not take place in the traditional venue of the Joint Chamber of the national Legislature.
The decision is rooted in necessary renovation work on the chamber. “We are resolved that SONA will not be conducted in the William R. Torbert Joint Chamber. That is off the mark. It is not possible,” Kolleh stated. He emphasized the logistical challenges posed by ongoing renovations. “The issue of the SONA at the Capitol is hereby canceled,” he added and indicated that alternative venues are currently under discussion with the Executive branch.
Legality
According to Article 58 of the Constitution of Liberia, the President is required to present the legislative program for the upcoming session and report on the state of the nation on the fourth working Monday in January each year. This constitutional duty includes a comprehensive overview of the nation’s economic condition, detailing expenditures and income.
The House of Representatives closed today. January 6, 2025, and is expected to reconvene on January 13, 2025. Representatives will gather in the chamber, where the Sergeant-at-Arms is set to announce the sitting.
President Boakai, who delivered his first State of the Nation Address on January 29, 2024, will now navigate this uncharted territory as discussions continue regarding the new location for this pivotal address.
The fire outbreak
Early on Wednesday, residents of Capitol Hill and neighboring communities were jolted awake by a fierce blaze engulfing the Capitol—the seat of the Liberian Legislature. The fire rapidly intensified, and wreaked havoc on the building, particularly within the Joint Chambers and adjacent areas of the Capitol’s central wing.
Tragically, this destruction heightened before the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) arrived on the scene shortly after 7:00 AM.
However, the LNFS, the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation, and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) intervention led to the fire being subdued.
As of press time, the LNFS had yet to determine the cause of the catastrophic incident. Just hours post-incident, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai visited the site and addressed the media, emphasizing that destruction is not a solution to societal problems. He called on the Justice Ministry to launch a prompt investigation to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
His words: “We are a poor country and people are trying to help us and other people are bent on destroying this country. [If] you have problem you have the rule of law. We have every way in this place to be able to listen to you. We will listen to you but we are not going to accept this. We ask the Ministry of Justice [and] all of the security apparatus to investigate this matter. People who are caught, we will deal with them and we will set the tone for all other people who when they get angry they burn down the police, they destroy… we will not allow it.”
