As President George Manneh Weah gearing up for a nationwide address in the face of numerous challenges, including the pending June 7th protest by the Council of Patriots as a result of the unbearable hardship in the country backed with the escalated exchange rate on the Liberian market, dozens of Liberians surmising that the Liberian leader may declare ‘State of Emergency’ today during his speech to the nation.
“This much talk about nationwide address by the President today at 12noon, I surmise that due to the pressure being mounted on this Government on the multiplicity of problems, and the continue hardship being faced with throughout the country, with this government continue to remain silent on the plight of the people, the President may come out with issues that would confuse the citizens,” Aaron TQ Smith, who claimed to be a student of the University of Liberia speaking to the GNN said.
“The President’s nationwide address is long overdue, we are anxious to listen to this much talk about speech by President Weah, we hope something good in the interest of this country will be highlighted in his speech including the continues hardship being encountered, which has given rise to the pending June 7th protest,” Sarai Nyanford, a resident of New Georgia, speaking to our staff pondered.
The imposition of a state of emergency is done in case, of a situation of a national danger or disaster which will danger the existence of citizens, will give rise for a sitting government to suspend normal constitutional procedures in order to regain control.
Observers who spoke to the GNN regarding the thoughts of those Liberians who think the President in his today’s nationwide address will impose what they believed a state of emergency, wondered as why this should be done, pointing at the pending June 7th protest noting “It is the right of Liberian people to protest peacefully, once this has nothing to do with the breaking the law,” Johnson Tweh, a resident of Logan Town said.
Quoting Article 15 (a) of the Liberian Constitution, Simon Jackson said, “Every person shall have the right to freedom of expression, responsible for the abuse thereof. This right shall not be curtailed, restricted or enjoined by government save during an emergency declared in accordance with this Constitution,” on Article 17, Jackson said, “All persons, at all times, in an orderly and peaceable manner, shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good, to instruct their representatives, to petition the government or other functionaries for the redress of grievances and to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions and other organizations”, he added.
It is not clear as to what will be in the speech of the Liberian leader today, as numerous challenges is being with his government, including the alleged missing Billions Liberian Dollars, the mop-up exercise of the US$25 million and escalated exchange rate on the Liberian markets among others.
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