Monrovia – Liberians from all walks of life have taken to talk radio and social media to come to the defense of Lonestarcell MTN against the backdrop of whopping accusations from Mr. Mulbah Morlu, chair of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.
Several callers took to talk radio Tuesday took the CDC chair to task for acts unbecoming and unprofessional of a ruling party chair which is detrimental for business in Liberia.
Others took to social media to urge Mr. Morlu to refrain from making his reckless statements while trumpeting the many good deeds of Mr. Urey and the cellular giant during the civil war and the deadly Ebola virus outbreak. During a part of the Liberian Civil War, Lonestar opened all her lines at no cost allow people to call relatives and friends. One caller questioned what facilities or jobs have Morlu given any Liberian that will make them listen to him as they urged President Weah to discipline Morlu for his behavior and utterances.
Patrick Tarr lamented: “The Chairman of the party is leading a campaign to destroy Lone Star Communication Corporation. For many years, this company was the largest tax payer in Liberia recently overtaken by Arcelor Mittal. Why will you want to cut the hand that is feeding you? Should people really be engaged in the politics of stupidity? If Lonestar is spying, what is the Liberian Telecommunications Authority doing about it?”
Musa Sheriff De Brain wrote: “Don’t listen to Mulbah Morlu Jr. and his likes. Lonestarcell MTN has a very strong privacy policy system. She protects every customer’s privacy. Morlu want to blackmail the people’s company Lonestarcell MTN remains the best GSM company in Africa.”
Meanwhile, the opposition All Liberian People Party (ALP) has threatened to disengage in ongoing dialogue between opposition political party leaders and the George Weah-led government if the chairman of the ruling party, Mr. Mulbah Morlu continues his attacks on the leaders of the opposition without facts.
Mr. Theodore Momo chairman of the ALP, responding to the CDC chair’s recent claims on his political leader Mr. Benoni Urey and by extension the Lone-star Cell MTN, described as false, misleading and misrepresentation of Mr. Urey, comments made by Morlu.
“His assumption is false, misleading and a misrepresentation of all Mr. Urey stands for. It is this same Urey in 2011 who provided substantial support for the CDC, is he insinuating that by then he was supporting subversive activities? Urey has always supported a cost.”
On Wednesday Mr. Morlu issued an ultimatum to Liberia’s long-existing cell phone Company “Lone-Star Cell MTN” to distance itself from Mr. Benoni Urey or risk citizens’ withdrawal from the company’s services.
Mr. Morlu at a news conferences Wednesday told Journalists that, lone-Star MTN is allegedly being used as a spy company on political opponents by Mr. Urey and his allies to secretly record subscribers’ conversation and diverging it to media Practitioners for smear campaigns.
Said Mr. Morlu: “MTN must distance themselves from Urey politics of antagonism, hate and violence. If they fail to do so we will call on our people to reconsider their decision in doing business with Lone-start MTN. we have not arrived there yet but this is a caveat. Lone-star MTN needs to distance itself from Urey because he will break them down because he is setting the basis of their demise by dragging them into politics. I as a person I am reviewing my subscription with Lone-Star MTN.”
But Mr. Momo, the ALP chairman slammed Mr. Morlu for “crossing the line” when he called on People and the Government to discontinue their services with Lone-Star MTN. “We think he is crossing the Line. Mine you, this is a government Party who is launching a stinking attack on private investor we want the president to know that Morlu is acting like an enemy of the state by intimidating investors.”
Chairman Momo claimed that Morlu is “ignorant of the workings of lone-star MTN” because according to him, Mr. Urey has since resigned his position as board chair. “The only thing a ruling party can do is to close the gap on delivering its promises to the people. By doing this the opposition will have no grounds.”
Added Mr. Momo: “The ALP can, and will never be involve in any subversive activities in this country. To think like that and attach the cellphone company is reckless. We believe that the government is striving on double standards. While the President is trying reach out to opposition to find a dialogue the chairman of his party is launching attack on the three political [parties this is double standard. If Morlu does not desist from attacking political leaders of the collaborating political parties we will come up with a decision to disengage in any dialogue because this is insincerity. We will not dance to the tone of insincerity.” The ALP chair warned that any other attacks on any of the leaders of the collaborating political Party leaders will be met a robust response. “We cannot continue to sit and allow the CDC chair to attack Mr. Urey and Lonestar/MTN without evidence of fact. He needs to refine his attitude and he needs to dance to the tone of Peace and stability and avoid reckless talking that could infuse violence.”