Gbarnga, Bong County — Bong County District #5 Representative Eugine J.M. Kollie has joined a growing number of lawmakers opposing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s proposed bill seeking to ban what the President describes as harmful traditional practices in Liberia.
Speaking to reporters in his district earlier this week, Rep. Kollie said the proposed legislation must be reviewed and revised, describing an outright ban on long-standing cultural practices as “unacceptable and makes no sense.”
“Those cultural practices that President Boakai referred to as harmful are not harmful. I will never support such a bill,” the Bong County lawmaker declared.
The bill, currently before the House of Representatives, aims to outlaw certain traditional practices that health and human rights organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have long described as dangerous. The WHO maintains that some practices, particularly Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), pose serious health risks and have no medical benefits.
However, the proposed law has triggered heated debate among legislators. Opponents argue that it threatens Liberia’s cultural heritage and contradicts traditional values deeply rooted in many rural communities. Some lawmakers have also questioned why other contentious social issues, such as same-sex relationships, are not being addressed with the same level of concern.
Meanwhile, the Joint Committee on Gender, Internal Affairs, and Judiciary of the House of Representatives has begun consultations with civil society organizations and community leaders to gather broader perspectives before submitting its final report on the bill.
The national debate continues to draw strong reactions from both traditional leaders and human rights advocates, highlighting Liberia’s ongoing struggle to balance cultural preservation with the protection of individual rights and public health. By: Andrew B Weah .0770637216/0886429103, andrewbweah@gmail.com
