Yesterday, H.E. President George
Manneh Weah, stated as follows:
“I swore that I would preserve,
protect, and defend the Constitution of Liberia…The Liberian Constitution,
which is the Supreme Law of the Republic, and with which I am intimately
familiar, shall be my principal guide for leadership and governance throughout
my tenure as President. Without pretending
to be a constitutional scholar, expert, or lawyer, I have found direction, as
well as inspiration, from studying it. I
would humbly advise all of you Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen, and indeed – all
Liberians -- to study your Constitution well, for I find it to be the most
useful and practical guide for those who would govern, and for those who are
governed. My assumption is that not
everyone is familiar with the Constitution, as they ought to be. I will now beg
your indulgence to allow me to make frequent references to it today as I address
you. In some instances I will read
extensively from it.”
The President also said:
“According to Article 60 of the Constitution,
the salaries of the President and the Vice President are established by the
Legislature, and cannot be increased or reduced during the period for which
they are elected. However, in view of
the very rapidly deteriorating situation of the economy, I am informing you
today, with immediate effect, that I will reduce my salary and benefits by 25%
and give the proceeds back to the Consolidated Fund for allocation and
appropriation as they see fit”.
Judging from the above, I am
strongly convinced that President Weah deliberately contravened and breached Article
60 of the Organic Law of the Land (the Constitution). Although his passion to
give back 25% of his salary and benefits is laudable, the best he could have
done was to say that he will personally give part of his salary and income to
the poor or for whatever purpose he would wish. This means he cannot arbitrarily
reduce his salary and benefits with immediate effect. This act is totally
unconstitutional. I therefore think the President needs very good policy
advisers.
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