Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Liberia: Senator Johnson Denies Making Threatening Remarks


Source: Front Page Africa

Senator Prince Johnson
The recent statement ascribed to Nimba County Senior Senator Prince Y. Johnson, that Liberian should keep enough food in their homes has sparked heated debate among various groups and individuals in the country, but Senator Prince Johnson denies the allegation made by a local daily which quoted the Senator as saying: “Liberians store enough food in your houses because it will not be easy during and after elections.”
Dr. Kardiker Rex-Dahn
One of Nimba County’s prominent sons Dr. Kardiker Rex-Dahn, Deputy Minister of Planning Research and Development, Ministry of Education termed Senator Johnson statement as a threat and said the Senator was not speaking for the citizens of Nimba:

“The statement made by my County’s Senior Senator Prince Johnson, when he called on every Liberian to keep food in their houses is threatening and incriminating the Nimba Citizens who are peace loving people.”

He said Senator Johnson who played a major role in the Country’s civil war should not make such statement that has the propensity of creating a cloud of fear over peaceful citizens.

“Senator Johnson was one of the actors in the Country’s civil conflict and for a Senator who has such a background to make such a public statement seems not to be in the interest of the people of this country.”

Dr. Dahn said he has written a letter to the US Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield and UNMIL boss Ellen Margret Loj, to call Senator Johnson to give justification for his statement.
“I am therefore calling on all Liberians to know Senator Johnson is not speaking for us, so he should not make the citizens look bad for nothing.”
Senator Johnson speaking to FrontPage Africa via mobile phone denied the allegation and termed it as false and misleading.
“That statement is not true; somebody is trying to frame me up. How can I in my right senses, make such statement to threaten people when I want their votes?”

A group named Citizens for Constructive Engagement said in a press release that its attention has been drawn to what they term as (devious politicians seeking the presidency).

“It can be recalled recently the former rebel general Prince Johnson, now Senior Senator of Nimba County and a presidential candidate, made statement of threats and fears which, if not prevented, could lead us back to our immediate ‘ugly’ past in which he finds pleasure and satisfaction,”  the statement reads.

The group accused the Senator of scaring peaceful citizens by suggesting that they should store enough food in their houses because it will not be easy during and after elections.

“What will not be easy? As this group retrospect on the month September 1990, when the Nation lost its late President Samuel K. Doe at the operation of Senator Johnson,” the group stated.

The Nimba County Senator also said some newspapers are paid to lie on others just to tarnish their characters adding: “The paper said I made the statement in Redlight when I cannot remember when last I visited Redlight. Is it my birth right to be president that if I don’t win, then I should bring war?” he said.

The Group concluded in its release that the elections do not mean lawlessness and as such, the government of Liberia should remain ever vigilant to prosecute anyone who makes reckless and irresponsible statements that could undermine Liberia’s hard-earned democracy.

But the NUDP Standard Bearer termed statement as rubbish, because he is helping with security in the Country: “How can I make such statement when I am working along with the ECOWAS committee on security to ensure peace and stability?” he concluded.

News Headline

Inside Liberia with Bernard Gbayee Goah

Everyone is a genius

Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein

Drawing the line in Liberia

Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah



Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause

They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.

If Liberia must move forward ...

If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Liberia's greatest problem!

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - Bernard Gbayee Goah

What do I think should be done?

The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Solving problems in the absence of war talks

As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah

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