…Says, everyone must be law-abiding
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The Liberia National Bar Association has called on the national government to ensure the consolidation of peace through commitment to non-violent dispute resolution, as well as post-election democracy and peace consideration by ensuring that everyone is “Law Abiding” irrespective of their status in society.
Stating that rule of law is essential to democracy.
The LNBA stated that democracy entails that everyone is subject to the law, including government officials.
Therefore, wants the government to ensure that laws are transparent, consistent, and applied equally to all citizens.
“Democracy entails that everyone is subject to the law, including government
officials. It ensures that laws are transparent, consistent, and applied equally to all citizens. It provides a mechanism for the protection of rights, enforcement of contracts, and peaceful resolution of disputes.”
The LNBA believes that one of the essential elements of democracy is RULE OF LAW.
They noted that of political freedom, economic equality and social justice, rule of law is cardinal to the survivability of peace.
The Liberia National Bar Association made the recommendation at the conclusion of the “One Hundred Fifty Thousand Unites Dollars (USD150, 000.00) United Nations Development Programme sponsored project – the “LNBA 2023 electoral support project” a one-year initiative which came as result of a Memorandum of Understanding between the LNBA and the NEC, and the execution of a low value grant agreement between the Bar and the UNDP to fund activities under the project.
Providing an overview of the project, Cllr. Frederick L.M Gbemie member of the national executive council, on behalf of the LNBA further recommended that seeking redress is a motivational non-violent approach to consolidating the peace and security.
Meanwhile, the national secretary of the LNBA Cllr. Boima Vamba recommended that in order to strengthen the weak and dysfunctional justice system, there should be more support to the ministry of justice and all justice actors to ensure that justice actors are well supported in discharging their duties.
Adding that it will strengthen what is termed as the weak and dysfunctional justice system of Liberia.
The Bar’s collaboration with NEC Project is intended to enhance the legal
capacities of LNBA lawyers and electoral stakeholders, as well as to support
the NEC to be effective in the adịudication of elections cases and increase public knowledge of legal electoral processes, particularly working with relevant stakeholders.
A major emphasis of this project was to allow election stakeholders to fully understand a distinction between the court room litigation process and administrative hearings conducted before the National Elections Commission (NEC).
The objective of the project was to initiate a collaboration with the National
Elections Commission and relevant stakeholders to ensure a successful
conduct of the 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.