By: Frank P. Martin
MONROVIA: River Gee County Senator-elect, Francis Saidy Dopoh, has promised citizens of his county and Liberians to draft a bill, which will be titled: “Commemoration” for presentation to Plenary of the 55th Legislature, in early 2024.
He said the Bill will seek the decentralization of July 26 celebration in the fifteen counties of the country.
July 26, which is Liberia’s INDEPENDENCE Day, is celebrated as a National Holiday by Liberians at home and abroad. Liberia, as a Republic became Independent on July 26, 1847.
Liberia was declared independent after free black or African slaves from the United States were transported to Africa by an American Philanthropist and Non-Governmental Organization, styled: American Colonization Society (ACS) to experience self-governance in Africa.
Although the Free Slaves upon their arrival on the Providence Island met some indigenous people here.
Speaking to citizens of his River Gee County at the C’est A Vie in the Hotel Africa Community in Brewerville, the River Gee District# 3 Representative-elect, said enacting into law the decentralization of Liberia’s National Independence Day celebration would spread development initiatives across the country, as Monrovia is not Liberia.
“I will lobby with my colleagues to ensure the passage of this bill so that our people can once again feel the impacts of the independence day celebration, especially for development purposes,” Dopoh narrated.
Moreover, he disclosed that he will work with members of the Legislature to ensure 2-3% of the national budget is appropriated to celebrate July 26 Independence Day, August 24, National Flag Day, another events county-by-county.
His proposed bill will come at a time when the outgoing administration failed to celebrate July 26 INDEPENDENCE Day within the 15 counties, as was done during the erstwhile regime of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Addressing development priorities in River Gee County, Senator-elect Francis Saidy Dopoh said he will ensure the county is considered one of the best in terms of development.
River Gee, a county split from Grand Gedeh County in May 2000 after receiving approval from the House of Representatives in May 1997 and Senate approval in March 2000, is situated in the Southeastern region, with poor infrastructure.
Dopoh, who was certificated on Friday, December 8, 2023, by the National Elections Commission (NEC) at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, said the narrative in the county will change as he is prepared to ably serve his people as he did in the 54th Legislature where he served with distinction as Representative of River Gee District#3.
According to Senator Francis Saidy Dopoh II, the nation’s democracy is getting stronger with citizens exercising some level of responsiveness and responsibility during elections by making “though decisions”.
He defeated Conmany B. Wesseh during the October 10, 2023 polls with over 11,000 voters.
Dopoh said, in recent day, River Gee County has expressively indicated and positioned itself as one of the most democratically admirable counties in Liberia.
At the same time, Senator Dopoh has lauded the people of Gbeapo for overwhelmingly voting him as Senator. He was later gowned by R. Barkue Sayee for his demonstration of tolerance.
At the occasion, the Senator-elect, paid homage to the fallen Deputy Chief Clerk, Cephus Geeplay, who had broadened his knowledge as it relates to River Gee political history.
The Williams’s college scholar and Economy Fellow used the occasion to encourage all citizens of River Gee to remain united and to work together peace and progress in the county.