Gbarnga, Bong County — FrontPageAfrica has obtained a letter in which Bong County Senator Prince Moye recommended two people to be employed by MNG Gold in Kokoyah Statutory District, a stark contradiction to his 2020 campaign pledge to residents of the district.
Senator Moye while campaigning last year said it was wrong for politicians of the county to recommend people to work with MNG Gold, when the company is not living up to its social responsibilities to citizens, vowing to scrutinize the MoU when elected senator for the betterment of residents of affected communities.
“Recommending people to MNG Gold when there are glaring issues that the company is not doing what the people want is not only bad to the same people who elected you, but a conflict of interest,” Senator Moye said.
“I have listened to the many cries of my people regarding the MoU and if elected I’m going to effect the needed changes that will benefit the district and bring the necessary changes”.
Those recommended in the lawmaker’s February 10, 2021 letter to work with the mining company as public relations officer and community liaison officer are Uriah Bahn and Mark Gbeken, two senior members of his 2020 campaign team.
Senator Moye’s reliance for recommending Bahn and Gbeken to work with the company is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which he once criticized as being “not in the interest of the people of Kokoyah Statutory District”.
Section 1D of the MoU calls for the senator of Bong County to recommend a public relations officer and a community liaison officer to work with the company.
But contrary to his promise, Senator Moye is making use of the same MoU he criticized by recommending Bahn and Gbeken to work with the company. Based on his recommendation, the company has employed Gbeken as its new public relations officer, replacing Lloyd Ngwayah, who was recommended by former Bong County senator Henry Yallah.
When contacted, Senator Moye confirmed writing a letter to the company recommending Gbeken and Bahn, and said he had no other options but to do what the MoU says.
Bong residents criticize Sen. Moye
Senator Moye’s decision to recommend two senior members of his campaign team to MNG Gold has been greeted with rare rebuke from residents of the county.
Human Rights Activist Jesse Cole said it is disappointing for Senator Moye to backpedal on similar thing he once spoke against few months ago while campaigning for the position of senate.
“What is the change Senator Moye promised the people of Bong County?’ If we keep doing the same thing over and again we won’t achieve anything as a county,” he said.
Cole said Moye’s decision is a victory for the “bogus” MoU that has retarded the development of the district, despite the presence of a multi-million dollar company.
Another resident of Bong County, Jerry Tokpa, said the company will continue to exploit residents of the district though a “bogus” MoU because those elected to serve the people of the county cave in to the will and pleasure of the company at the detriment if those who elected them.
He singled out Senator Moye as a classic example of “disappointment”, and said it too early that the lawmaker would backtrack on his promise to the people relating to the much-heralded MoU he once preached against.