Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai, Chairperson, CSO Council
LIBERIA – On the invitation of the National Elections Commission (NEC) along with the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) on one hand, and the Liberia Institution for Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) for the dereliction of their duties, which has prompted the Liberian Senate to again invite both entities for questioning, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) has described the prevailing situation as troubling.
It can be recalled that the Plenary of the Liberian Senate during its 46th day sitting of the 5th session on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, unanimously voted to invite the administrations of NEC, Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), and LISGIS before the leadership of that august body on Monday, November 7, 20222 at 12 noon.
With the release of key dates for the holding of the much-publicized 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections, key activities are being stalled due to ‘procedural errors’ by NEC in its procurement process. LISGIS on the other hand has persistently postponed key activities leading to the conduct of the most crucial National Housing and Population Census (NHPC) with the latest coming through communication from President George Manneh Weah for the postponement of the process to 21 additional days.
Predicated upon this, Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe called on his colleagues to have LISGIS and NEC along with PPCC invited so as to have these issues resolved.
“Let the leadership of the Senate Standing Committee take charge of this matter. The LISGIS issue is getting embarrassing, and nothing is happening about it. We are already in the schedule of the election and nothing is happening too. Anything that is relating to elections matter must be taken very seriously,” added Sen. Snowe, whose recommendation resulted in a motion that received unanimous votes.
Accordingly, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) – the umbrella organization for all CSOs in the country, in support of the Senate’s action, pointed out that these troubling situations need serious attention as they have the propensity to derail the peace and security of the state.
NCSCL in a statement on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, said it is concerned about these situations, especially the one at NEC could run the country into a constitutional crisis with the gains over the years in nursing undermined.
The Council described embarrassing the ongoing uncertainties in the conduct of the pending census.
“The LISGIS situation is very embarrassing and something needs to be done about it with immediate effect. The census process is of critical importance to Liberia and the world at large in key decision-making processes, especially as it relates to the formulation of major development strategies and plans.
To our own electoral process, this census is of great significance and we all know this. Therefore, issues surrounding the electoral processes and the census must be taken as issues of urgency and that needs a holistic approach,” stated a statement released by the NCSCL under the signature of its Chairperson Madam Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai.
