The Honorable House of Representatives of the 55th Legislature on Monday, January 12, 2026, convened the first day’s sitting of the first quarter of its Third Session.
The sitting began with the formal call to order, followed by prayer and roll call. Members then proceeded to the reading, correction, amendment, and adoption of the agenda before moving into substantive legislative business.
A major highlight of the session was the reading of several communications from His Excellency Joseph N. Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia, dated December 4 and 5, 2025.
The President submitted multiple draft legislations for enactment and ratification, all aimed at strengthening Liberia’s legal and institutional framework against corruption.
Among the proposed laws is “An Act to Amend Title 26, Penal Law, Liberian Codes of Law Revised, to Provide for Illicit Enrichment and Corruption,” which seeks to criminalize unexplained wealth accumulation by public officials.
Also submitted was “An Act to Amend Title 2, Criminal Procedure Law, Liberian Codes of Law Revised,” intended to redefine the burden of proof and statute of limitations in cases involving corruption and illicit enrichment.
The President further called for amendments to the Act Establishing the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), originally passed on July 22, 2022, as well as amendments to Part V and Part XII of the National Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees, including the introduction of additional definitions to strengthen enforcement.
In addition to governance reforms, Plenary received Amendment No. 3 to the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and ArcelorMittal Holdings Limited, ArcelorMittal USA Liberia Holdings LLC, with the participation of ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited.
The amendment is expected to attract robust debate given its implications for mining operations, infrastructure development, and national revenue.
The House also took note of a communication from Hon. Sumo K. Muibah, Representative of Electoral District #3, Montserrado County, requesting that the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) be invited to appear before Plenary to respond to allegations of brutality involving its officers.
Meanwhile, Hon. Anthony F. Williams, Representative of Electoral District #2, Maryland County, submitted two separate communications.
In the first, he requested Plenary’s indulgence to invite relevant institutions to provide updates on the ongoing Constitutional Review process.
In the second, he called for the Minister of Internal Affairs to appear before the House to account for county financial and development performance for the 2024–2025 periods, including an update on the county payroll.
The session also provided room for standing committee reports, special committee reports, motions, bills, and resolutions, as well as miscellaneous matters before adjournment.
As the Third Session officially gets underway, observers note that the House of Representatives is poised to confront critical national issues ranging from anti-corruption reforms and natural resource governance to public accountability and constitutional reform-matters expected to shape Liberia’s governance landscape in the year ahead.
