George Weah recalls lawmakers amid cash crisis

Liberia's lawmakers have been asked to return from their annual break for a special session of parliament to discuss “issues of pressing national concern" at the request of President George Weah, parliamentary press secretary Isaac Redd has said. 

Mr Redd did not elaborate, but media speculation is that Mr Weah - a former football star who became president last year - wants parliament to hastily authorize the printing of 35bn Liberian dollars ($200m; £154m) to pay salaries to employees ahead of Christmas. 

However, the deputy press secretary in Mr Weah's office, Smith Toby, said that “nothing like that is mentioned in the president’s communication” to the parliamentarians.

Liberia has been hit by a severe financial crisis, which has seen lawmakers and civil servants complaining of delays in the payment of their salaries.

This article first appeared on BBC News