-As House of Representatives Review Act to Upgrade Its Status
By Jerromie S. Walters
The House of Representatives has taken significant steps to advance healthcare education through a major legislative action this week. During Tuesday’s plenary session, plenary mandated the Committees on Education and Health to review a proposed Act that would transform the Tubman National Institute of Medical Arts (TNIMA) into a degree-granting institution, marking a potential turning point for medical education in Liberia.
The initiative, championed by Lofa County District #5 Representative Augustine B. Chiewolo, seeks to amend the 1972 Act that established the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center. Representative Chiewolo emphasized TNIMA’s 80-year legacy of training mid-level healthcare professionals, including nurses, physician assistants, and laboratory technicians, through its diploma programs.
He argued that elevating TNIMA’s status to award bachelor’s degrees would align Liberia’s healthcare education with international standards and better prepare graduates to address modern public health challenges. Following the bill’s first reading, plenary forwarded it to joint committees for thorough review before returning for final consideration.
In a separate but equally important development, the House ratified eight international aviation treaties and
conventions designed to enhance Liberia’s aviation safety, security, and regulatory alignment with global standards. Plenary’ action followed a detailed report from the Joint Committee on Transport, Judiciary, and Foreign Affairs.
Among the ratified instruments are the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air (Montreal, 1999), which establishes uniform legal guidelines for international air travel, and the Convention on Offences and Certain Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (Montreal, 2014), aimed at curbing misconduct in flight.
The House also endorsed the Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for Detection (Montreal, 1991), the Convention and Protocol on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Relating to International Civil Aviation (Beijing, 2010), and the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment (2001) along with its Aircraft Protocol.
These ratifications signal Liberia’s proactive approach to strengthening civil aviation regulations, improving security measures, and creating a stable environment for investment in aircraft financing and leasing.
The instruments have been forwarded to the Liberian Senate for concurrence. Meanwhile, the head of Liberia Delegation to the PAP, Hon. Alex S. Noah has departed for Midrand, South Africa to participate in the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), taking place from July 16 to August 1, 2025.
This Ordinary Session will officially open on Monday, July 21, 2025, and conclude on Friday, August 1, 2025, under the African Union’s 2025 theme: “Justice for Africans and Persons of African Descent through Reparations.”
The session will be preceded by a series of high-level meetings and engagements, including:
• Bureau Meeting – July 16–17
• Joint Meeting of the PAP Bureau and Bureauxes of Permanent Committees and Caucuses – July 18
• Meeting of the Rules, Privileges and Disciplinary Committee – July 18
• Orientation Meeting for New Members – July 19
• Induction of New Members – July 21
The Liberian delegation head is expected to actively engage in discussions and contribute to legislative debates surrounding justice, reparations, and the advancement of democratic governance across the African continent.
The Pan-African Parliament, headquartered in Midrand, South Africa, serves as a consultative and advisory body of the African Union, promoting the principles of human rights, democracy, good governance, and African unity.
