Africa-Press – Liberia. The House of Representatives has endorsed a recommendation from its Joint Committee on Elections and Inaugurations and Judiciary, which calls for the immediate dissolution of the “Special Operations Procedures” (SOPS) within the National Elections Commission (NEC).
The decision follows a formal request by Sinoe County District #3 Representative, Alex S. Noah, who raised concerns that the SOPS unit was operating outside the legal framework of the NEC and lacked statutory authority.
In its detailed report to plenary, the Joint Committee noted that the NEC, as established by law, is an autonomous public body responsible for conducting, supervising, and administering all elections and referenda in Liberia.
The committee stressed that any administrative or operational structure within the Commission must be grounded in the Act that created the NEC, emphasizing that any deviation undermines the rule of law, transparency, and public trust in the electoral process.
According to the report, the SOPS structure was allegedly created and has been operating within the NEC without legal backing or transparent oversight.
The committee described SOPS as a “parallel and irregular system” that interferes with the Commission’s established chain of command and accountability mechanisms.
Furthermore, the joint committee also expressed concern that the existence of such a unit poses serious risks to the integrity of Liberia’s elections, could erode public confidence, and may discourage donor support for the country’s democratic processes.
Citing both the Constitution and the NEC Act, the lawmakers reaffirmed that exclusive authority for managing elections rests with the Commission’s Board of Commissioners, not any ad hoc or extra-legal body. The committee’s report concluded that maintaining the SOPS structure contradicts this constitutional provision and undermines good governance.
As part of its recommendations, the joint committee proposed that the NEC immediately dissolve the SOPS or any similar structure operating outside its statutory framework.
It was also recommended that the Commission revert fully to its legal administrative setup as provided under the Act creating it and the Committees on Elections and Inaugurations and Judiciary exercise oversight to ensure compliance and report back to plenary within 30 days.
Following deliberations on the floor, the Plenary of the House of Representatives unanimously endorsed the report in its entirety and resolved to take immediate legislative action to enforce compliance.
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