Barely a day after President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf informed the 53rd legislature that her new government’s agenda will prioritize youth issues, the House of Representatives Tuesday elevated the Standing Committee on Youth and Sports to a statutory level so as to form part of the leadership structure of that august body.

House members took the decision in plenary following a suggestion by Rep. Eugene Fallah Kparkar (Lofa County).

He suggested that Rep. Thomas P. Fallah (Montserrado District  #5) should include the issue of youth and sports in his motion that seeks to elevate  “three more” committees—

Health, Peace and Reconciliation, Lands and Mines—to statutory levels.

Rep. Edwin M. Snowe pushed the communication forward despite claims by some lawmakers that his action was a veiled plan to bring other “supporters” of Speaker Alex Tyler onboard the leadership of the House by creating more statutory committees.

Though the decision sparked intense debate amongst House members as some argued that the elevation of the youth and sports committee to a statutory status would boost President Sirleaf’s youth empowerment agenda, while others differed.

Other committees elevated to statutory levels are Peace and Reconciliation, Lands and Mines and Health.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Alex Tyler Tuesday appointed his last batch of committee chairman drawn from opposition apparently to dissuade criticisms that he appointed “his cronies” to serve on key House committees.

The appointments include Rep. Thomas Fallah, CDC (Montserrado #5), chairman on Maritime; Rep. George Mulbah, (NPP-Bong) chairman on Defense; Rep. Moses Tarndapollie (CDC-Montserrado), amongst others.