The President of the Republic, Dr. George Manneh Weah, has issued Executive Order 123 setting up a Joint Presidential Transitional Team (JPTT) to ensure a smooth transfer of power from the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government, which he heads, to the newly elected administration.
The President noted that he was setting up the JPTT by virtue of the power and authority vested in him pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 5(c) of the 1986 Constitution of the Republic of Liberia (1986), authorizing him to develop a system of appropriate protocols and mechanisms for the smooth transfer of power from the incumbent President to the in-coming President.
The President has already appointed members of his government to the team. They include Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of National Defense, and the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs.
Others include the Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Mines and Energy, Minister of Health, Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, Economic Advisor to the President, Legal Advisor to the President, National Port Authority, National Social Security and Welfare Corporation, Liberia Maritime Authority, Liberia Revenue Authority, Director General of the General Service Agency, Liberia Electricity Corporation, and three other members to be appointed at the discretion of the Incumbent President.
According to the Executive Order issued by the President Tuesday, November 21, 2023, the President-elect is invited to designate 20 persons to the JPTT, all of whom must be Liberian citizens, so as to facilitate the work of the JPTT in a timely manner.
The President has further appointed the Director-General of the Cabinet to serve as the Secretary to the JPTT and head of the Secretariat.
Other members of the Secretariat are the Economic Advisor to the President and the Legal Advisor to the President.
The Director-General of the Cabinet shall second other support staff from within the Executive Branch of Government, as may be required, to expedite the timely work of the JPTT, the Executive Order also states.
The Incumbent President and the President-Elect shall be Co-Chairpersons to the JPTT.
The Executive Order further asserts that notwithstanding paragraph (d) above, the incumbent President shall designate the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet to act as Co-Chairperson in his absence to oversee all affairs of the Joint Presidential Transition Team 2023 and conduct all meetings in his absence.
“The President-Elect may also designate any member of his Team to similarly act as a Co-Chairperson in his absence,” the Order states further, adding, “Decisions of the JPTT shall be made by consensus and any disagreements shall be resolved by the Incumbent President and the President-Elect, acting jointly.
“The JPTT shall commence its functions and exercise the powers and authority granted by this Executive Order no later than forty-eight (48) hours after the declaration of the President-Elect by the National Elections Commission (NEC). It shall cease to function after the publication of its Final Report, which shall be no later than forty-eight (48) hours before the Inauguration of the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect.
“The incumbent President shall call the first meeting of the JPTT within 48 hours after the declaration of the President-Elect by the NEC,” the executive order states.
In a related development, President George Manneh Weah will hold a special cabinet meeting today, Wednesday, November 22, 2023.
According to an Executive Mansion release, the emergency meeting will bring together the Vice President, ministers, deputy and assistant ministers, heads of state-owned enterprises, commissions, and autonomous agencies.
It takes place at 11:00 a.m. in the parlors of the Executive Mansion, and will focus on transitional and other matters of national concern.