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| Prince Y. Johnson (The unpredictable) |
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| Charles Taylor - (The executor ) |
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| Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (The Master Planner and Designer) |
Written by Ramses K. Nah
Source: Liberian Mandingo Association of NY (LIMALY)
When John Morlu, the General Auditing Commissioner stated that Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government was three times as corrupt as Charles Taylor, he was exactly on point. Nevertheless, Let’s give credit where credit is due, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has done some beneficial and good things for the Republic of Liberia. Should we expect anything less of our President? Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is doing the job she was elected to do and in the process, is being beautifully rewarded for her efforts. Yes, she and her cohorts will say that she has signed many contracts to create employment opportunities and brought Delta, an American airline to Liberia. Should the Liberian people be so impressed that Ellen is doing anything beyond what an intelligent, educated, Harvard graduate and President of a Republic should do? My answer is Hell NO I am Not! And Liberians should not either.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is doing what is expected of any President and nothing less. She and her supporters will impress upon you that this woman is performing miracles; that she is unprecedented in her development efforts, as compare to Charles Taylor or any other president. She has and is rebuilding Liberia. No Doubt! However, this President is no different from Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson, albeit, this time through the “Barrel of the Pen”. Corrupt and dictatorial behavior patterns are replete throughout this administration. Transparency and accountability are no where to be found.
This president does not understand that with Democracy, comes Transparency, Responsibility and Accountability. This administration feeds on the lack of literacy and abject poverty of the people to push mediocrity and make it seem so spectacular development. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her minions are exploiting the nation without accountability, failing to provide supporting documentations to many of their contracts, which, by the way, most are clouded in secrecy. This administration walks around arrogantly inferring that the Liberian people are not intelligent to understand what they are doing and we should just trust them.
Here is a woman, along with others, who, for the most part of her adult life, has helped financed and strategized destabilizing and destroying a country for the sole purpose of being president. When a president negotiates a contract of an autonomous agency unbeknownst to head of that agency, with provisions of the contract that the agency head finds not in the best interest of the Liberian people and the Republic and the president threatens dismissal and firing, that’s blatantly un-Liberian, un-democratic.
National Port Authority
The managing director of the National Port Authority (NPA) should be highly commended for standing up for the people of Liberia and the Republic by opposing and articulating the parts of this APM Terminal contract, that are not in the best interest of people. When the president and Richard Tolbert negotiate and conclude and contract in which the managing director and board chair know nothing about, they have a fiduciary duty of accountability to the people of Liberia. When the president threatens demanding resignations of firing, I pray that these head of government be principle enough to stand up on the side of the Liberian and not roll over and be a another lap dog to this president.
The fact that the Managing Director of the NPA can so unceremoniously flip here position on this contract, after the threat from the President, makes it imperative that the Legislature is to reject this contract agreement and send it back to be renegotiated. A contract that was so objectively criticized by the head of the agency cannot be suddenly so good. What has changed since the managing director was last before your august body?
Another question comes to mind, did the President of the Republic contrive and write the seditious Maritime Authority Bill? Did she have knowledge of the contents of this Bill? Through such, the president’s action only infers recklessness in self promotion and self interest at the expense of the Liberian people and their resources.
Ellen’s Travel and Salary
Ellen’s actions are no different than Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson, only this time, she and her minions are running around with the barrel of the pen. Can Ellen Johnson Sirleaf give the Liberian people a full account of the aggregate numbers of days away from Liberia, cost of her and her delegation travels, whether or not the cost was borne by the Republic or by another third party? Can Ellen Johnson publish her salary and perks and that of all her ministers and agency heads. Can Ellen Johnson call Richard Tolbert to publish all contracts and list all interested parties? Can this president have the Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs quantify the actual number of jobs created by the many contract signed and the optimum number of employment opportunities envision by these contracts? Can the president and Richard Tolbert provide evidence of the transparent bid process through which Chevron, Decoris, other companies were awarded contracts or were they hand picked by the Richard Tolbert and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. This government lacks the decency of transparency, accountability and responsibility, what’s the difference from Charles Taylor or Samuel Doe or Prince Johnson?
Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC)
Because this president has been one of the founding architect in the Quiwonkpa’s coup and the Charles Taylor war, in which over 250,000 Liberians were killed, hundreds of thousands displaced and many hundreds of thousand maimed, she has and is protecting herself and those very people with whom she started the war efforts. Why has this president not called for a War Crimes Tribunal for the Republic? Why has Ellen Johnson Sirleaf not implemented the recommendations of the TRC, as is her authority and responsibility to so do, why? Is she as culpable?
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf new appointments to the INHRC are rift with conflict of interest and lack of justice. In appointing LeRoy Urey, the president has shown contempt to the Liberian people. LeRoy Urey is a relative of Benoni Urey, one of Charles Taylor henchmen, and one who stands accused in the TRC report of economic and other crimes. Is this nomination going to stand? This is analogous to the get away driver for a bank robbery being allowed to serve on the jury for the bank robber. The other nominee, Sundaiway Amegashi has publicly stated during his confirmation hearing that prosecution of human right violators of the Liberian civil war will lead to chaos and disunity. Human Right Violator! Did Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appoint these people so that they could be puppets of her, to do her bidding? Now, will prosecution of violators of human rights will lead to chaos and disunity, what a statement? It like prosecution of a murderer will lead to the chaos and disunity within the victim’s family. This individual should be ashamed and be removed from this commission.
My fellow Liberians, until that day when Charles Taylor, Prince Johnson, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Alhaji Kromah, Kabinneh Janneh, Sekou Conneh and other major players in the Liberian civil wars are brought to justice and held accountable and responsible for the lost of lives and destruction of Liberia, Peace will be forever elusive.
Beware Liberians, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is leading us down the familiar perilous slope!
Liberia is a democratic Republic, where the rule of law is paramount. As Liberians, the president is accountable to us, for any president holds that position through our votes. The arrogance and contempt this president and her subordinates have shown the Liberian people are an abomination. Heads of governmental agencies should always question the president when they do see the decisions of the president as not in the best interest of Our Beloved Nation. Moreover, they should be principled and not roll over and be a poodle on a leash for this president, simple because of fat salaries, power and rich perks.
Liberians must demand of this president and any president Transparency, Responsibility and Accountability. The Liberian people deserve a better, more qualified, unbiased and truly independent, Independent National Human Rights Commission. We deserve individuals with integrity that have to no relations to those accused. The president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, should not punt the implementation of the TRC recommendations, she must do her duties as president and implement the report without hesitation and prejudice.
By Ramses K. Nah
Ramses_nah@yahoo.com
