In a report on the Government Formation Act 2013 submitted to Plenary Thursday, the Committee noted that some ministries and agencies of government go for protracted periods without appointment of their heads.

The Liberia News Agency quotes the Committee as saying that as a result, these ministries and agencies are headed by people who do not have the official mandate as enshrined in Article 54 of the Liberian Constitution.

The Committee also indicated that because Article 54 of the Constitution does not put a time limit on the appointment right of the Chief Executive, such scenario is allowed to obtain, thereby negatively impacting productivity in government.    

It, therefore, recommended that Section III, subsection 1 of the Government Formation Act 2013 be reworded to read “… if the President fails to act at the end of three months, the Senate shall proceed with the confirmation of whoever will be acting at the time of said failure and declare him or her a duly recognized occupant of said post with all the rights appertaining thereto.”  

It can be recalled that the bill for an Act to complete the Formation of Government by the President of Liberia after every General and Presidential Elections was sponsored by Representative Larry Younquoi of District #8 in Nimba County on June 18, 2013.

It was recently forwarded to the Committee on Governance and Government Reform for scrutiny, to report to Plenary in two weeks.

LINA HVW/TSS/PTK