IPNEWS: The Supreme Court of Liberia has ruled in favor of the Liberian Senate over controversy of the BAO CHICO Mineral Development Agreement.
The Supreme Court stated that the Senate was not in violation of Article 34d (i) of the 1986 Constitution for ratification of BAO CHICO Mineral Development Agreement as earlier viewed by members of the House of the Representative.
It can be recalled the Liberian Senate upon passing the Bao CHICO Concession Agreement bill which was sent to both houses from President George Weah for ratification, was forwarded to the House of Representatives for concurrence. However, the House of Representatives said through a their communication to that august body, it is not the constitutional duty to pass any revenue bill and forward to the Lower House for concurrence, citing Article 34d (i) of the Liberian Constitution as their reliance.
Article 34d(i)states that “all revenue bills, whether subsidies, charges, imports, and other financial bills, shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other.
The Supreme Court in its ruling read by Senate Secretary, Nanborlor Singbeh in open Tuesday regular session, indicated that said bill is a financial bill and not a revenue bill, as been contested by members of the House of Representatives.
The Senate plenary took the House of Representatives to the Supreme Court for the “wrongful” interpretation of Article 34d(i), of the Liberian Constitution of 1986.
The BAO CHICO agreement is for the extraction of iron ore, to be operated under a Class A mining license for an initial term of twenty-five (25) years in Gbarpolu County within the area specified on the license which covered a total area of 87.4km2 within Gbarpolu County.
Meanwhile, following the full reading of the Supreme Court’s ruling into the case, President Pro-tempore Albert Chie in consultation with members of the Liberian Senate immediately setup a seven-man special committee to meet with the House of Representatives on the passage of the BAO CHICO agreement.
The committee includes Senators Numene Bartekwa of Grand Kru, Simeon Taylor and Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount, Daniel Nateehn of Gbarpolu, Augustine Chea of Sinoe, Marshall Dennis of Grand Gedeh and Jonathan Kaipay of Grand Bassa Counties respectively.
