Liberia: Joint Chambers Reconstruction Estimated at Over US$10M as Speaker, Deputy Cite Lack of Funding

MONROVIA – More than one year following the severe incident of destruction at the Joint Chambers of the Liberia Legislature, Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah jointly toured the destroyed segment and expressed disappointment over the condition.

During the tour, Deputy Speaker Fallah, specifically, expressed profound sorrow over the state of the facility, noting that rebuilding the heavily damaged structure will demand significant financial resources and extensive construction work.

The tour comes ahead of a multi-stage damage assessment that will involve both government estimators led by the Ministry of Public Works and international experts.

While financing remains a concern, both leaders confirmed there is no plan of taking out loans to fund the necessary repairs.

Uncertainty Hangs Over Renovation Process

Addressing inquiry from Legislative reporters during the tour, Speaker Koon provided a response that somewhat dashes all hope and expectations that the renovation process is far from happening.

Speaker Koon tells the public that in the first place there is no money now neither had any money being budgeted towards this projected which is estimated around US$10M.

He pointed out that the shutdown of the Joint Chambers continues to undermine and impair the function of the Legislature, especially during the SONA [State of the Nation Address].

“It depends on how soon the estimate can be given to us, so we can commence. We don’t have money budgeted, but we are not going to take a loan for this place, because this place is undermining our work and impairing the function of the Legislature, especially during the SONA – the State of the Nation Address. We have to find other places and secure them to have the President’s address,” Speaker Koon intoned.

Sad Moment

In remarks, Deputy Speaker Fallah described the destruction as a “sad,” “embarrassing,” and “frustrating” and warning that the building will have to be rebuilt from scratch.

Deputy Speaker Fallah, who has been at the Capitol for the past 18 to 20 years, asserted that it was his first time entering the building since the incident.

“This is a sad moment, very sad. Today is my very first time honestly entering this place to see the level of destruction that took place. I feel so sad as a national leader, as a statesperson, to have known how this place was in the past and to see it like this today,” he stated.

US$10 Million to Rebuild

The Deputy Speaker estimated that restoring the building to the standard required would cost at least $10 million.

“I am not a technician, I am not an engineer, but I know I have been involved in construction. To see something like this tells me that to bring it to the standard we need will cost us nothing less than US$10 million. We are constructing from scratch, because it is not secure, so you have to do a lot of work,” he asserted.

Though the cause of the incident is yet to be established, but the Lofa County Electoral District #1 Representative stressed that destruction of public property must never happen, whatever the political disagreement.

“There should be no point in time when we destroy state property or facilities that belong to the state, even private property. That should not be the case.”

“The Legislature is the theatre of disagreement. We all come from different political persuasions, different political backgrounds, but we should never resort to destruction,” Deputy Speaker Fallah, among other things, indicated.