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Liberia: Senate finally passed threshold Bill as President Sirleaf makes new appointments in government
Michael Kpayili
Staff Writer
mkpayili@theliberiantimes.com
Michael Kpayili is a staff writer for TheLiberianTimes.com. Kpayili has written articles which have appeared on TheLiberianTimes.com since late 2005, and his hard hitting investigative journalism has earned the respect of the Liberian press community.
Jul 3, 2009

After series of setback over the passage of the Population Threshold Bill at the National Legislature, the House of Senate has finally concurred with the House of Representatives over the population apportioning for each constituency in Liberia. The consensus by the House of Senate came as the result of mounted pressure by the civil society organizations in Liberia after series of prolongation at the National Legislature for reasons many considered as self-centered.

The Senators were locked up in six hours of heated discussion on Thursday, July 02, 2009 after that august body rejected the passage of the Threshold Bill on five different occasions. Although the House of Senate concurred with the House of Representatives over the passage of the Bill, there was an inclusion of condition over the passage of the Threshold Bill which has again sparked serious debate among Political Observers and in some quarters in Liberia. The Senators agreed that the threshold be set at 40,000 per constituency but with the condition that the lower Counties be provided not less than two representations per county.

The motion was raised by Bong County Senator Franklin Siackor at the six hours deliberation yesterday among the Senators with an overwhelming acceptance by collective votes by the Senators. The condition attached by the Senators that the lower counties be represented by not less than two representations clearly contravened the constitution of Liberia which laws must cover the entire Country without omission. A Political Commentator, Patrick King blamed the lower populated Counties to greed and selfish division which according to him must face the outcome of their division.

Meanwhile, the House of Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to enter a conference in a bid to reconcile the condition attached in the passage of the bill.

In another development, barely few days following the dismissal of Police Inspector-general Beatrice Munah Sieh-Brown, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has dismissed the deputy Inspector-general for Administration, Mrs. Asatu Bah-Kanneh with immediate effect.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has named Mr. Samuel Dakanah as the new Deputy Inspector-general for Administration at the Liberia National Police pending confirmation by the Liberian senate. According to an Executive Mansion release, the President also nominated Cllr. George Wiles jr., Resident Judge, 7th Judicial Court in Grand Gedeh County and Mr. Koryour Zulu, District Commissioner, Konobo District, Grand Gedeh County.

Others nominated include Mr. Arthur Z. Kahn, District Commissioner, Gboa Administrative District, Grand Gedeh County; Mr. J. Cheyee Banto, District Commissioner, Gboplo District, Grand Gedeh County and Mr. Alfred M. Tarlue, City Mayor, Zleh City, Grand Gedeh County.