As part of his Constitutional mandate, President George Manneh Weah will on Monday, January 30, 2023 deliver his 6th and final annual message to members of the 54th Legislature in a joint session at the Capitol Building.
The State-of-the-Nation Address is in fulfillment of Article 58 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which requires the President to report on the state of affairs and present his legislative program to the National Legislature on the 4th working Monday in January of each year.
“The President shall, on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, present the administration’s legislative program for the ensuing session, and shall once a year report to the Legislature on the state of the Republic. In presenting the economic condition of the Republic the report shall cover expenditure as well as income.”
In a joint release from the Press and Public Affairs Departments of the House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate quoting the Chief Clerk, Mildred Siryon, the program is expected to start at 4:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) in the William R. Tolbert Jr. Joint Assembly Hall.
The release further states that, as protocol dictates, the legislators will gather in the Joint Chamber of the Capitol Building where the Presiding officer, Speaker Bhofal Chambers, will call for a motion to accept and receive the President to deliver his annual message to the august body.
Following that, the Chairpersons and members on Executive of both Houses of Representatives and the Liberian Senate will go at the main entrance of the Capitol Building to receive and escort the President to the joint chamber to deliver his address.
It is also anticipated that the President’s message will highlight gains made under the year in review as he lays out key legislative priorities of his government in the ensuing year as well as challenges and other incidents that occurred over the years.
The joint legislative release says the program is expected to be graced by the Chief Justice and Associates Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Cabinet, heads of state enterprises, the Doyen and members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited near Monrovia.
Others include political parties, the clergy, Traditional Council, international and local non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, the media as well as eminent citizens.
Meanwhile the release says strict security protocols have been put in place to avoid the congestion of the Hall; therefore an appreciable number of journalists will be tagged before entering the grounds of the Capitol.