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After six months of heated impasse at the Liberian House of Representatives, calm is here!
Embattled Speaker Fonati Koffa officially stepped down, paving the way for new leadership in the House. In a letter addressed to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Koffa mentioned that his resignation takes effect as of 12:00 midday, May 12, 2025. He has since honoured his promise to vacate the House.
According to Fonati Koffa, his decision to step down is a result of several factors, including losing strong members of his camp to the majority bloc, the executive’s insistence on working with Richard Koon as Speaker, and the need to create an avenue for new leadership at the House.
Background
The House of Representatives of the 55th National Legislature on October 17, 2024, decided to remove Rep. J. Fonati Koffa from his post as Speaker of the House. The resolution was based on several counts, ranging from,
- Conflict of interest
- Alleged dishonesty in the representation of Liberia at ECOWAS Parliament
- Overspending his budget during his tenure as Deputy Speaker
- Alleged alteration of the 2024 national budget
- History of being convicted and disbarred in North Carolina for embezzling approximately half a million United States Dollars.
However, he refused to go down without a fight, which culminated in several legal tussles that ultimately led to the Highest Court of Liberia.
The six-month-long House impasse created a dilemma for Liberian citizens. The crisis led to protests, the burning of the Capitol Building, and the disruption of Legislative functions.
Koffa’s decision to step down is a breath of fresh air for the House of Representatives, which has seen no peace over the last few months.
What does it mean for Liberia?
This new step taken by Representative Koffa now paves the way for a new beginning. The House of Representatives conducted a new speakership election on May 13th. The election was held between Representative Richard Koon (majority bloc speaker) and Representative Musa Hassan Bility of former Speaker Koffa’s bloc. The election was conducted transparently and observed by the media. Rep. Richard Koon secured 43 votes against his opponent, Musa Bility, who received 26 votes.
The House Plenary also voted to lift the suspension imposed on sixteen members of Representative Koffa’s bloc to restore unity and function within the legislature. These lawmakers had been suspended during the legislative deadlock.
The reinstated members are Edward P. Flomo, Abu Kamara, Marvin Cole, Frank Saah Foko Jr., Eugene K.M. Kollie, Zinnah Norman, Alex Sonnyboy Noah, and Muka K. Kamara.
Others are: Jerry Yogboh, Yekeh Kolubah, Dixon W. Seboe, Musa Bility, Samuel Enders, Thomas A. Goshua, Jacob Debee, and Luther Collins.
Following his election, Speaker Koon announced appointments to key statutory committees. The newly appointed committee heads are:
• Representative James Kolleh – Chair, Committee on Rules, Order and Administration
• Representative P. Mike Jurry – Chair, Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance
• Representative Sekou Kanneh – Chair, Committee on Executive
• Representative Nehker Gaye – Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs
This change in leadership and the decision to reinstate suspended members signal a move toward peace, stability, and reconciliation within the House of Representatives, providing a renewed opportunity for effective legislative governance in Liberia.
Conclusion
The new development calms the long-running conflict in the House of Representatives. The leadership level exhibited shows that Speaker Koffa’s resignation creates an avenue to a smooth-functioning legislature.
