ALCOD supports Rep. Bility’s push for dual Citizenship without ‘Restrictions’

Monrovia, September 19, 2024/The All-Liberian Conference on Dual Citizenship (ALCOD) delegation has appreciated the House Speaker, Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, Representative Musa H. Bility, and the entire House of Representatives for passing a bill to amend the Liberian Aliens and Nationality Law of 2022. The amendment removes the restrictions on elected positions in the 2022 Dual Citizenship Law. ALCOD is thankful for removing those restrictions and believes it is a step in the right direction for all natural-born Liberians.

Section 1: “Limitation on Elective Public Offices” of

Article 4 of the Liberian Aliens and Nationality Law of 2022 states: “A Liberian citizen who holds the citizenship of another country shall not be eligible for any elective public office while still a citizen of another country…”

Rep. Bility’s sponsored bill proposes in the amended bill passed by the HOR: “A Liberian citizen who holds the citizenship of another country shall be eligible to contest for any public office while still a citizen of another country, except for President of Liberia…”

However, both the Dual Citizenship Law of 2022 and the amended bill passed by the House restrict some appointive public offices, such as the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, the Minister of Defense, and the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia.

Meanwhile, ALCOD is urging the Senate to remove those restrictions on the public offices mentioned, as the bill will go before it for concurrence.

The amended Liberian Aliens and Nationality Law of 2022 was sponsored by Nimba County’s District #7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility.

On Thursday, September 12, 2024, Rep. Bility welcomed an ALCOD delegation headed by its Co-Chairman, Mr. Kingston Wleh, in his office on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Bility assured the ALCOD folks that he would work with them and call on them from time to time to achieve this goal together.

ALCOD is the umbrella Liberian diaspora group that advocates for dual citizenship and out-of-country voting rights for Liberians of voting age in the diaspora.

ALCOD delegation is in Liberia to advocate for the removal of the restrictions in the dual citizenship law and out-of-country voting.