GC Chair Suggests Negotiation As Way To Solve Speakership Dispute
GC Chair Suggests Negotiation As Way To Solve Speakership Dispute
By T. Ezekiel Geeplay
MONROVIA, Nov. 5 (LINA) – The Chairman of the Governance Commission (GC), Professor Alaric Tokpa, has called on opposing parties in the House of Representatives to pursue facilitated negotiation to resolve the escalating dispute over the House’s Speakership.
Speaking during an interview with scores of journalists on Friday, November 1, 2024, Professor Tokpa emphasized the need for facilitated negotiation, which according to him, could pave the way toward a cooperative solution, allowing the legislative body to resume its critical duties.
He underscored the importance of setting aside entrenched positions in favor of addressing core interests, pointing out that, in many conflicts, rigid stances often obscure underlying issues that could be mutually addressed through constructive dialogue.
He warned that resorting to an authoritative solution to define “right and wrong” could aggravate misunderstandings and obstruct the House’s functionality.
Highlighting the nuances of real-life conflicts, Professor Tokpa noted, “Between two contradictory possibilities, there is always room for the excluded third.”
He urged both national and international stakeholders to engage their allies and leverage goodwill to facilitate mediation within the 55th Legislature, adding that such support is crucial for finding a viable middle ground that transcends the current deadlock.
While acknowledging the significance of constitutional interpretation, arbitration, and formal adjudication within Liberia’s legal framework, the GC Chair argued that facilitated negotiation is particularly suited to the present crisis and could effectively complement these more formal methods.
"Liberia faces a complex emergency," he explained, "and the ongoing impasse in the House of Representatives may discourage investors and intensify public frustration."
He cautioned that Liberia cannot afford the potential economic and social fallout of a prolonged legislative deadlock.
He asserted that the administration of President Joseph N. Boakai Sr. is both committed and equipped to advance Liberia’s interests, provided it receives unified support.
The GC Chair urged both Liberians and international partners to prevent any prolonged governance paralysis, stressing that even brief periods of legislative inaction could have lasting adverse effects on Liberia’s development trajectory.
