HOR Chamber Staff Mobility Challenge Expected To Be Considered In FY 2024 Budget

The Honorable House of Representatives- HOR, has instructed its Ways, Means and Finance committee to consider in the 2024 budget, the provision of mobility to chamber staff of the august body. A statement issued by the HOR Press Bureau says, plenary took the decision Thursday, February 15, 2024, based upon a communication from Montserrado County District 11 Representative, Richard Nagbe Koon. Representative Koon wants the House of Representatives through its appropriate committee to ensure and make the appropriate remuneration and benefits pertaining to the position and work of the chamber staff, specifically the Secretariat. According to him, the House should also ensure and make available for each of the chamber staff including the Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms easy transportation to and from work. The Montserrado County Lawmaker added that the Chamber Staff should enjoy all immunities and privileges as is done in the case of Directors as their various positions require said courtesy. He recounted a similar communication dated September 2022 was submitted to the 54th Legislature by Former River Gee County District 3 Representative, Francis S. Dopoh, requesting plenary to consider the following in the House Budget for FY 2023. “This communication was turned over to the committee on ways, Means and Finance, committee in their wisdom they acted upon it by remunerating one hundred and thirty thousand united state dollars in the budget for FY2023 for vehicles and equipment”, Rep. Koon added. Representative Richard Nagbe Koon said Representative Francis S. Dopoh now Senator of River Gee was mandated again to work on the benefit as per their position, which was completed and plenary mandated the chairman on Rules, Order, Administration to act upon it but to no avail up till now.

The Montserrado County District 11 Representative said members of the Chamber Staff (House Secretariat) including the Assistant Sergeant-At- Arms of the Honorable House of Representatives are equity to director or even more considering the pivotal roles they perform in parliamentary works world over. “These staffers are major technicians of records and or decision emanating from plenary which the highest decision is making Body in each parliamentary Body. Hon. Speaker, distinguished Colleagues, when plenary sitting are ongoing, the Chamber Staff remain while directors and others staffers are going home, the chamber staff going to their various residences contingent upon the adjournment of the sitting thereby making it difficult to commute to their various destinations because of the lack of mobility”, he added. Representative Richard N. Koon emphasized that documents handled by the Chamber Staff are very crucial and possess threat on them, especially when commuting in commercial vehicles to and from work. Representative Koon also noted that the Chamber Staff are direct representation of the legislature which is the embodiment of lawmakers for which there is an imperative need for their empowerment in remunerations, capacity building, and logistics to include vehicles for each of them.