IPNEWS: Amidst heighten controversy over recent pronouncement for the introduction of three Religious Bill by Bomi County Senator, Edwin Snowe, the sponsored of the much anticipated bill has departed Liberia today for the Federal Republic of Nigeria on regional ECOWAS assignment.
Sources informed IPNEWS that Senator Edwin M. Snowe, is expected to be away for the next two weeks.
The report of the surprised travel by Senator Snowe, especially on the day when all eyes was set for the formal introduction of the three religious Bill, has sent uncertainties among ambers of the Islamic faith.
In a social media post at the weekend, Senator Snowe declared: “This week, I will be introducing three landmarks legislations on the floor of the Liberian Senate. I hereby call on my colleagues in the legislature as well as the general public to give these legislations their fullest support for passage.” But Bishop John Allen Klayee of the Jubilee Praise and Worship Center differed via his Facebook page and accused the lawmaker of “been fighting the Church for long.”
Bishop Klayee added the Church is not campaigning for any holiday for which Senator Snowe wants to push for an act making Easter Monday a public holiday.
For his part, Bishop Gardea Johnson of the Restoration Baptist Church said, “Mr. Lawmaker, we do not need any holiday and nobody asked you for Easter’s holiday. That level of deception is unacceptable!!”
During the regime of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, then Senators Joyce Musu Freeman-Sumo of Montserrado County and John Ballout of Maryland County embarked on similar campaign to legislate a Muslim holiday but since then, such document has been lingering at the Capitol Building.
The debate for a Muslim holiday resurfaced after the National Chief Imam of Liberia, Sheikh Ali Krayee, on Thursday, May 13, reiterated his call on the Government for a Muslim holiday and emphasized that Liberia will never have peace until Muslims holiday is given.
Chief Sheikh Krayee, in his message to over hundreds of his Muslim brothers and sisters at the occasion marking the celebration of the Eid (climax of the Holy month of Ramadan) in Monrovia, said they observed the day in Liberia with a heavy heart where the government is yet to grant them a national holiday.