Lawmakers summon Mayor Jefferson Koijee, others for filthiness of Monrovia and surrounding cities

The plenary of the House of Representatives has summoned the Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Koijee, along with Paynesville City Mayor Pam Belcher-Taylor for the filthiness of their cities.

The House also sent for the Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Duannah A. Kamara and the Chairman and CEO of the National WASH Commission Bobby Whitefield.

Plenary’s decision was prompted by a motion proffered by Rep. Munah Pehlam-Youngblood (CDC, District #9, Montserrado County) at the end of a discussion over a communication written by fellow Montserado County lawmaker, Solomon C. George.

Rep. George (CDC, District #7, Montserrado County), in his communication, craved plenary’s acquiescence to invite the Managing Director of the LWSC and his technical team to explain why the streets in central Monrovia continue to be flooded with feces and nothing is being done despite spending two years as the head of the entity.

Excerpt of Rep. George’s communication: “Hon. Speaker and members of the 54th Legislature, the marketers of the Waterside Market have been working with the administration of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation to bring to an end the daily flooding of the streets in the market with feces from the sewage line of the LWSC, but till now, nothing has been done with any serious attempt to put a halt to this incident that can cause our people to be sick or plague with an endemic disease or cause some people to lose their lives.”

“It is for the above reason we pray your office to bring to open plenary the Managing Director and his technical team to tell our people why due diligence cannot be done on their behalf,” Rep. George further stated.

Following the reading of the communication, several lawmakers backed Rep. George and called for the invitation to be extended to the Majors of Monrovia, Paynesville and Township Commissioner of Gardnersville as their municipalities are always filthy.

Long before Rep. George’s communication, there have been several attempts by lawmakers to invite Mayor Koijee to explain his plan for the cleaning of Monrovia that is always engulfed with garbage.

Rep. Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis (district #4, Montserrado County) said Mayor Pam Belcher-Taylor of Paynesville and the Commissioner of Gardnersville should be invited also.

“Hon. Speaker and members of the 54th Legislature, the marketers of the Waterside Market have been working with the administration of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation to bring to an end the daily flooding of the streets in the market with feces from the sewage line of the LWSC, but till now, nothing has been done with any serious attempt to put a halt to this incident that can cause our people to be sick or plague with an endemic disease or cause some people to lose their lives,” Rep. Solomon George

Rep. Youngblood also called for the management of the WASH Commission to also appear and explain about their interventions in line with the act establishing the Commission.

Rep. Youngblood is credited for strongly advocating for budgetary support for the WASH Commission.

Following a sustained one-sided deliberation, Rep. Youngblood filed a motion inviting Mayors Koijee and Pam Belcher-Taylor, along with the Management of the LWSC and the WASH Commission to appear in open plenary next Tuesday, March 17, 2020.