No Money For Senatorial Bi-elections For Bong and Montserrado
By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
The National Elections Commission is broke and it may not be able to host the senatorial bi-elections for Bong and Montserrado counties, seats that were vacated by Senator, now President George M. Weah of Montserrado County, and Seantor, now Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor of Bong County.
The NEC Chairman, Cllr. Jerome George Korkoya announced that the Commission is faced with serious financial crisis. He made the announcement at a news conference at NEC’s headquarters in Monrovia, Monday, March 5th. Cllr. Korkoya said the nation’s electoral house needs about US$3.9 million for the holding of the by-elections for the two counties.
The By-elections came about as a result of the Senators George Manneh Weah and Jewel Howard Taylor being elected during the 2017 Presidential elections, creating the void at the Liberian Senate to be filled within 90 days.
The 1986 Liberian Constitution article 37 states: “In the event of a vacancy in the Legislature caused by death, resignation, and expulsion or otherwise, the presiding officer shall within 30 days notify the Elections Commission thereof. The Elections Commission shall not later than 90 days thereafter cause a by-election to be held; provided that where such vacancy occurs within 90 days prior to the holding of general elections, the filling of the vacancy shall await the holding of such general elections.”
Cllr. Korkoya said his Commission is aware of the limited time frame within which the by-elections must be completed, but says it would require US$3.9 million to hold the elections.
According to him, the budget and timelines were submitted to the government on February 26th of this year for funding through the office of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah.
“A copy was also forwarded to the office of President Weah for information. Additional copies of the budget are being forwarded to the Liberian Legislature through the offices of the Senate President Pro Tempore, Albert Chie, and Speaker Bhofal Chambers,” he added.
He noted that since the presentation of the letter, the ministry only noted receiving the communication but no positive action has taken to jumpstart the process.
“It is important to stress that the National Elections Commission needs these budgetary discussions to be concluded urgently to meet the electoral timetable. Procurement and planning deadlines to meet date are fast approaching and as such, the commission is asking the government to prioritize the matter so as to ensure that the controlling constitutional provisions are met,” he pleads.
Giving statistics of the two counties, Korkoya said that the Bong and Montserrado Counties have a total of 2,292 polling places with 1,970 of these in Montserrado County and Bong County accounting for 502.
“This represents a total of 43 percent of the total number of 5,390 polling places in Liberia. An estimated 12,000 temporary staff, including poll workers, gender mobilizers, civic educators and election supervisors will be required for the two by elections.
