Lingering Decline -Rep. Bility Says Liberia Fast Running Down the Clift

MONROVIA- As the nation grapples with the challenges of governance and development, Nimba County District #7 lawmaker Hon. Hassan Musa Bility has sounded a clarion call, shedding light on the alarming erosion of the rule of law in Liberia. In a poignant and thought-provoking “Letter from Saclepea,” Bility raises critical questions about the direction of the country, warning that the steady dismantling of the rule of law threatens the very fabric of society. Whether his concerns are valid or not, they warrant urgent attention, particularly from those in power, for issues he raised are not merely partisan or political but fundamental to the stability, security, and prosperity of the nation. The Analyst reports.

Hon. Hassan Musa Bility, Nimba County District #7 lawmaker, has expressed fear over the country’s steady decline into lawlessness and erosion of the rule of law.

In his column “Letter from Saclepea,” Bility lamented that the government’s actions are undermining the very foundation of Liberia’s society.

“The very foundation upon which our society rests, the rule of law, is being eroded piece by piece by those who should be its primary defenders,” Bility said.

He criticized the government’s lawlessness, saying the executive branch is “taking the law into its own hands” and “muzzling its opponents.”

Bility cited recent international reports, including the United States Department of State report on Liberia, which highlighted the country’s lack of respect for contractual agreements.

“This is more than a diplomatic embarrassment; it is a dangerous signal,” he warned. “It tells the world that our nation is losing its moral and legal compass.”

The lawmaker expressed concern about the economic and social consequences of this trend, saying, “When the rule of law weakens, distrust rises. Investors retreat. Jobs disappear. Our people suffer.”

He emphasized that defending the rule of law is crucial for justice, peace, stability, and the nation’s survival.

He lamented further: “We are beginning to witness a government that is becoming more and more lawless, one that takes the law into its own hands, and an executive that seems increasingly determined to muzzle its opponents. When the founders of our country established the law, it was not designed to serve the whims and caprices of politicians. It was meant to preserve order, to protect justice, and to keep everyone, including those in power, accountable.

“My greatest worry is that the judiciary, the last bastion of our democracy, is being slowly awakened not by its own moral strength but by the persistent actions of an executive branch that flouts the law with impunity. Ministers, managing directors, and even the President, through executive orders, have disregarded contracts and violated legal boundaries. This behavior has not gone unnoticed.

“The consequences of such lawlessness go beyond politics. They strike at the heart of our economy. When the rule of law weakens, distrust rises. Investors retreat. Jobs disappear. Our people suffer. The cost of executive recklessness is not just legal; it is social, economic, and generational. It is my hope that even in the midst of our political struggles, we will summon the courage to defend what truly matters, the rule of law, the sanctity of contracts, and the principles that ensure justice for all.”

Bility concluded: “Those in power today will not be in power tomorrow. But what must endure, what must prevail, is the rule of law. For without it, there can be no justice, no peace, no stability, and no nation.”