Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has threatened to place a Stay Order on the Liberian Senate decision to print L$48.7 Billion.

According to Senator Dillon, the processes leading to the decision by the Senate to print the new banknotes is “illegal and unlawful”.

Senator Dillon made the statement on his official Facebook Page on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 after the Senate resolution to print of the new banknotes.

Senator Dillon wrote: “There is a legal maxim that essentially says, “anything that is not done legally right is not done at all.” So was the Senate’s action today, claiming to “concur with the House of Representatives” regarding printing of new Liberian banknotes. The action was not done consistent with established legal and legislative procedures.”

Senator Dillon added:”I am therefore consulting Lawyers to advise on the possibility of proceeding to court to place a Stay Order on the unlawful decision. We must learn to do things right for posterity.”

Senator Dillon, commonly known as “The Light” added that the Liberian Senate decision to print the new banknotes did not meet the constitutionally required approval of the Legislature for printing new banknotes and minting of coins.

“The constitutionally required approval of the Legislature for printing of new Banknotes and minting of coins can not be passed by less than two-thirds of the Senate; and never has the Senate ever passed on a Joint Resolution to print money on the strength of less than two-thirds of the Senate.”

Senator Dillon stated: “Noteworthy is that the Resolution from House of Representatives was passed by two-thirds of the “total Membership” of that body before transmitting same to the Senate for concurrence.”

Senator Dillon further added that the joint resolution of the Liberian Senate through which the decision to print new Liberian banknotes was reached, did not meet the threshold of two-thirds of the total membership of the Senate.

“Today (Wednesday), the purported “Joint Resolution” did not meet the required threshold of two-thirds signatures; the Resolution was signed by 18 Senators, and 18 Senators can not constitute two-thirds of the Membership of the Senate that consists of thirty Members.” Senator Dillon added.

It can be recalled on Wednesday, March 31,2021, the Liberian Senate voted to concur with the House of Representative to mandate the Central Bank of Liberia to print a new family of Liberia dollars banknotes.

The Liberian Senate voted 18 out of 24 seated Senators to reached the decision, but few Senators of the Opposition Collaborating Parties(CPP) frown on the process.

The Senate took the decision during its extraordinary session presided over by Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chea.

The Senate decision was followed by scrutiny of the House of Representatives resolution by the Senate Joint Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, Judiciary, Banking and Currency.