Margibi County – The National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Margibi branch has threatened lawsuit against Margibi County Superintendent for allegedly violating the Code of Conduct.
The Council has also given the Superintendent a two-week ultimatum to resign his post or face the wrath of the organization through legal means.
The call was made by the Coordinator of the Council in Margibi County Mr. E. Friday Crusor on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 in an interview with this writer.
Mr. Crusor’s assertion came days following the endorsement of the candidacy of Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and his running mate Speaker James Emmanuel Nuquay by “Citizens of the County” on July 14, 2017.
He disclosed that the Superintendent is in the constant habit of violating the Code of Conduct in the county regardless of his current position.
Mr. Crusor alleged that the Superintendent canvasses for other politicians and uses public facilities for political activities in the county which is in violation of part 5 of the instrument.
Part V: section 5.1 of the Code of Conduct states that All Officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia shall not,
- a) engage in political activities, canvass or contest for elected offices;
- b) use Government facilities, equipment or resources in support of partisan or political activities;
- c) serve on a campaign team of any political party, or the campaign of any independent candidate
He narrated that Supt. Buway allegedly violated these rules and several other provisions to include the election law of Liberia and the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia that have said something surrounding conflict of interest.
Friday said that Supt. Buway has continuously violated these laws but the common people do not have the voice to speak against it as such it is incumbent upon them as Civil Society Institutions to flag the issue.
The Civil Society Coordinator said on his return to the county from Buchanan, where he was working with the Governance Commission on policy issues, he got to know that the Superintendent was in the know of the endorsement program.
According to Crusor, he has evidence of photos on the usage of public facilities for canvassing purpose, photos of the Superintendent wearing T-shirt endorsing the vice president and a voice clip on the County Information Officer when he appeared on Radio and said it was the County Authority that organized the program.
Mr. Crusor said he sees this as a recipe for creating conflict for this election, knowing that the Country is operating on a fragile peace where a lot of UNMIL Security has pulled out of the Country with just very few that are in the Country working on administrative issues.
“I see this as a recipe for creating conflict for this election, knowing that the Country is operating on a fragile peace where a lot of UNMIL Security have pulled out of the Country with just very few that are in the Country and are involved into administrative issues to the extent that Electoral Commissioners from across West Africa came to Liberia to be able to meet NEC and the Supreme Court to be able to ask them to double up on the kind of effort needed to ensure that the election is peaceful, and with this I think at the County level there is a need to assert some effort to be able to buttress those partners and to do what we must be able to use the law to bring to book those who are violating this law as soon as possible so that it can’t go out of hands” he lamented.
All efforts to get the side of the Superintendent did not materialize as he has refused to respond to several phone calls and text messages.
Meanwhile, the County Information Officer of Margibi Darius K. Weamie said the Superintendent has his right to participate in any political activity but denied reports quoting him that it was the County Authority that organized the endorsement program for the Vice President.
He furthered that it was a group under the banner “the Margibi United for Common Purpose” that endorsed Amb. Joseph N. Boakai.
Moses Tokpah, Contributing Reporter