With less than a week to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President of Liberia Joseph N. Boakai to the Legislature, uncertainty could be hanging over the event as the Executive Mansion and the Legislature provide conflicting information on the venue.
Presidential Press Secretary Madam Kola V. Fofana disclosed on Friday that there was yet no “venue” for the event while the Senate released a statement informing the public that the SONA will be held at the capitol.
The 1986 Constitution of Liberia, Article 58 states that “The President shall, on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, present the administration’s legislative program for the ensuing session, and report to the Legislature on the state of the Republic, covering the economic condition of the Nation, including expenditure and income.
If further, “In presenting the economic condition, the report shall cover both public and private sectors. It shall also include the national income and other financial transactions of the Government, as well as the Government’s development agenda for the year.”
Speaking Friday, January 17, 2025 at the Executive Mansion regular press briefing in Monrovia, Madam Fofana said that there is preparation ongoing involving a team from the executive and the legislature that are working to ensure that the SONA is successfully held.
“Recently, the Senate and House of Legislature met, especially on the decision of the venue; as we know, the portion of the legislature was gutted by fire and with that, we are working on sending their final decision to the President or executive on the venue of the annual message. Once that is communicated to us, we will let you all know where the venue will be,” she disclosed.
According to her, while the Senate and the House are working to solve the problem of the venue, there are other activities ongoing, naming GSA and others that are responsible for the SONA working together to ensure the annual ceremony is successful.
On Saturday, January 18, 2024, the Legislature announced the grounds of the Capitol as the venue for this year’s annual message.
The decision for the event to be held at the grounds of the capitol was necessitated by the December 18 “arson attack” on the William R. Tolbert Joint Chamber which is originally the venue for the annual message.
A release from both houses said due to heightened security arrangements, access to the Capitol Building premises will be strictly regulated by State Securities prior to and during the day of the annual message and warned those without official invitations or access passes including staffers of the Legislature to avoid the premises of the Capitol on the day of the SONA.
The release also assured the public that the President’s annual message will be live on various media platforms, mainly radios, televisions, as well as social media to allow citizens to see and listen to the message while at home or various places of work .
The President is expected to address the Legislature on Monday, January 27 for the purpose of delivering his 2nd Annual message. But several persons, including lawyers, have challenged the legality of that legislative session which will see the president deliver his SONA as controversies still linger over the speakership of Representative Richard Nagbe Koon who should preside over the SONA.
The House of Representatives at the moment is immersed in a series of leadership crises beaming from the “illegal” removal of embattled House Speaker J.Fonati Koffa and the subsequent debatable election of Koon as new speaker, a matter that has been battled in court till date.
By Prince Saah
