After reaching beyond his dreams of avarice in a clandestine seizure of the speakership position of the House of Representatives, contestable House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon has urged his colleagues to reaffirm their commitment to serving the people of Liberia with a patriot’s heart.
The House of Representatives has been in disarray in the last four months over the illegal removal of embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, and due to this, the legislature had apparent lost trust from the public on the way lawmaker calling ‘Majority Bloc’ were conducting the process despite the ruling from the Supreme Court.
Koon, who gained the speakership position through highly contestable removal of Koffa, said they as lawmakers must redefine their path, strengthen unity, and uphold the core values that bind them together as a single unit, comparing them to execute their responsibilities in the best interest of the country.
Addressing the opening of the first quarter of the second session of the legislature on Monday, January 13, 2025, Speaker Koon said the recent impasse within the body and the unfortunate fire incident that damaged the Joint Chambers at the House of Representatives are a clear indication that the responsibility to promote peace, advance unity and restore trust cannot be overemphasized.
He said the new session should mark a turning point to demonstrate unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and equitable development for all Liberians, adding that the strength of the Legislature lies in its ability to unite and reconcile for the greater good of the 73 districts they represent.
Koon called for prioritization of open dialogue and cooperation amongst lawmakers by addressing their differences and aligning collective efforts that would fulfil the important duties of the body including making laws, providing oversight, and representing their people, saying that it is through such unity that they will meet the expectations of the Liberian people whose mandate brought them to power.
Speaking on the recent passage of the 2025 Fiscal Year Budget, Koon said expressed gratitude to profound gratitude to his colleagues for the enactment of the US$880,661,874 Budget, an important milestone prioritizing sectors that are critical to our citizens’ welfare including healthcare, education, road and infrastructure, agriculture and food security and water and sanitation.
He said the budget will foster economic growth, improve service delivery, enhance social infrastructure, and create opportunities for all Liberians, and it is their duty as legislators to ensure that these resources are not only distributed equitably, but also utilized effectively to provide meaningful and lasting benefits to the people.
“It is my stern belief that Liberia’s strength is amplified through its relationships with regional and international partners. Therefore, improving our relationships with countries within the sub-region and the continent and with regional bodies such as ECOWAS, AU and the Pan-African Parliament, among others, remain a key component of our leadership,” Koon said.
The Montserrado District #11 lawmaker said by fostering collaboration, they will increase the role Liberia plays in ECOWAS and AU and their respective Parliaments.
That way, he said, Liberia will be able to actively contribute to discussions on regional and continental peace and security and sustainable development.
“I like to report to you that as a result of the invitation extended to us by the Government and people of the Republic of Ghana, we were able to hold fruitful bilateral discussions with our counterpart in Accra. These discussions will soon witness an experience sharing scheme between Liberia and the sisterly Republic of Ghana, where members of this House will be supported to exchange learning with Ghana. Furthermore, expanding our engagement with global parliamentary networks will reinforce Liberia’s presence in critical global discussions, thus enhancing our influence on issues that matter most to the globe,” Koon said.
Meanwhile, Koon said one major challenge they face as a body is the restoration of public trust and confidence in the Legislature, stating that people across the country don’t seem to be happy them; thus they need to double up efforts to rebuild that trust, but doing so requires them to embrace transparency and accountability and be open and inclusive in operations.
Koon: “This is why I believe introducing digital voting machines, launching a comprehensive website to provide real-time access to legislative proceedings, and renaming committees to reflect broader mandates are just some of the steps we can take to modernize and make our processes more open, inclusive and transparent. Improving the financial and system audits will further underscore our commitment to transparency and accountability.”
He said it is equally important to invest in the people who serve within this Legislature, calling for the need to prioritize the professional development of members and their staff, as it is crucial for enhancing their capabilities and responding to the needs of their districts in particular and the country in general.
The Controversial House Speaker proposed that relevant authorities conduct a comprehensive material and capacity needs assessment, in order to identify critical human resource gaps by which capacity-building training programs would be tailored.
“Honourable Deputy Speaker and distinguished Members, as we address the immediate needs of our citizens, the need to revisit critical legislative bills must not be overemphasized. Particular emphasis is placed on addressing the needs of vulnerable people such as the women and children, people living with disabilities and the elderly through our legislative processes,” Koon said.
He reminded his colleagues that revisiting the “Old Folks Bill” and the “Disability Bill” among other things, will be a beautiful beginning that will ultimately reflect their commitment for the inclusion of every segment of the society.
“I also believe that Electoral reforms must be prioritized to ensure that our democracy becomes more robust and representative of all Liberians. Additionally, diaspora Liberians are a critical factor to consider in our construction of the Liberian reality. Their contributions to the growth and development of Liberia is huge and their interventions touch every sector of the society. As we open this session, this is my plea to all of us: let us rethink and find a way to include and accommodate them for they have never given up on us,” the lawmaker said.
He said the road ahead is challenging, but he is convinced that it is also filled with great opportunities to transform the Legislature into a beacon of hope and a home of integrity, saying “Let us all embrace this moment to build a legacy that future generations will envy and crave to emulate.”
