MONROVIA – Liberia’s Governance Commission has announced the most significant formal initiative toward constitutional reform since the Musu Scott-led Constitutional Review Committee submitted its landmark report in 2015 — a report that engaged over 500,000 citizens across all 73 electoral districts and then quietly disappeared into the institutional archive of good intentions. Acting Governance Commission Chairman Dr. Alaric K. Tokpa disclosed Thursday that the Commission, in partnership with the Law Reform Commission, will convene a two-day High-Level Public Policy Dialogue at Monrovia City Hall from June 10 to 11, 2026, designed to reignite national debate on a document many experts believe has outgrown its 1986 architecture, as THE ANALYST’s GEORGE C. FLOMO reports,
Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing last Thursday, Dr. Tokpa made clear that the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai views constitutional reform not as a legal abstraction but as a strategic governance imperative.
“No constitution is sacred. No constitution is untouchable when it comes to advancing the interests of the people and the country,” Dr. Tokpa declared. “Constitutions are made by people and can be changed by people when national circumstances demand it.”
The June dialogue will convene policymakers, constitutional experts, legal practitioners, civil society organizations, academics, development partners, students, and citizens under the theme, “Review of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia: Imperatives, Challenges and Prospects.”
Ghost of the Musu Scott Report
Central to the dialogue agenda is a reckoning with the incomplete legacy of the Constitutional Review Committee chaired by former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott, established under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2013.
That process — which consulted over half a million Liberians and submitted its findings in August 2015 — surfaced recurring demands for women’s political participation, youth inclusion, diaspora voting rights, protections for persons with disabilities, and broader democratic reforms. None of those recommendations were fully implemented.
“The work of that committee was discontinued for reasons best known at the time, but the issues raised remain relevant today,” Dr. Tokpa observed, without elaborating on the political dynamics that shelved the effort.
Decentralization Needs Constitutional Anchoring
A recurring theme in Dr. Tokpa’s remarks was the vulnerability of Liberia’s decentralization agenda to political reversal without constitutional protection. While acknowledging the Local Government Act of 2018 as an important foundation, he argued that devolving power to local authorities requires stronger constitutional safeguards to ensure sustainability.
“It is important for us to anchor decentralization within constitutional protection,” he said. “The people affected by policies should be part of the decision-making process. Sustainable development can only be achieved when citizens actively participate in governance.”
Article 97 and the PRC Immunity Clause
Dr. Tokpa specifically flagged Article 97 of the Constitution — which grants immunity to members of the former People’s Redemption Council for actions undertaken following the April 12, 1980 coup — as a provision that has generated increasing controversy over four decades of constitutional practice and that warrants national reflection.
“After 40 years, there is increasing contention that some sections contain ambiguities and limitations that need clarification and improvement,” he noted.
A Comprehensive Review Over Piecemeal Amendments
Dr. Tokpa argued that while Articles 91 and 93 provide mechanisms for constitutional amendments through legislative approval and referenda, the process of repeatedly amending individual provisions is expensive and cumbersome. A comprehensive review, he contended, would address multiple constitutional concerns through a more coordinated and cost-effective approach.
He expressed optimism that the Boakai administration’s track record on institutional reform — including the establishment of county service centers, the implementation of Performance Management and Compliance Systems, and enhanced auditing processes — creates a more favorable environment for substantive constitutional change than existed in previous attempts.
“We need citizen engagement. We need public debate. We need the support of the media in ensuring that Liberians understand the importance of reviewing the Constitution and contributing to the future of our democracy,” he urged.