Grand Kru County’s district #2 Representative, J. Fonati Koffa, has been elected Deputy Speaker of the Honorable House of Representatives of the 54th National Legislature, Republic of Liberia. Representative Koffa was elected on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 on Capitol Hill during the first-day sitting of the fourth session of the Legislature.
Out of the 68 total votes cast, Representative Koffa obtained 45 votes, while his contenders, Representative Clarence Massaquoi, Lofa County’s district #3, obtained 20 votes, and Bong County’s district #6 Representative, Maima Briggs Mensah, obtained 2 votes, with one invalid vote. Representative Koffa is a partisan of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), while Representative Massaquoi is from the Collaborating Political Party (CPP). The lone female contestant is an independent lawmaker.
The Deputy Speaker vacancy was created as the result of the election of former Deputy Speaker,, Prince K. Moye, as Senator of Bong County in the December 8, 2020 midterm senatorial election across the country. Moye, who defeated Senator Henry Yallah, has been inducted into office as Senator of Bong County. He is among the five senators who were recently certificated by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Immediately following the election of Representative Koffa as Deputy Speaker, he was given the oath and inducted into office by House Speaker, Dr. Bhofal Chambers. The election was conducted in line with the House’s rules and the Constitution of Liberia. The election was conducted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, Madrid Siayon. Koffa was nominated by Nimba County’s district #6 Representative, Dorwohn Twian Gleekie.
Addressing his colleagues prior to the election, the Grand Kru County lawmaker assured his colleagues of a perfect working relationship. He vowed to lobby with the Executive in order to have the legislative project reawakened. He emphasized that the development of the country cannot be solely done by the Executive; therefore, the first branch of government, the Legislature, needs to be empowered to equally carry out projects in the various districts.