LIBERIA IS BRAIN DRAINED, NO DOUBT about that – but not to the extent that Madam President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, wants the Liberian people to believe.
OVER THE YEARS, WE’VE watched her circulating her friends and cronies from one ministry/agency to the other, despite their dismal performance or acts unbecoming of public officials. Is it because there are no replacements?
WE DON’T BELIEVE SO.
AT THE START OF THIS UP-LED GOVERNMENT rehabilitating roads that were destroyed by the civil unrest was a priority to the new government. The Jallah Town road rehabilitation was amongst several projects earmarked by government, but the story of how it ended is a well-known one. The then Public Works Minister, Luseni Donzo, who was at the center of the some reported misappropriation and application of entrusted property was removed from his post for his failure to perform and acts of corruption, yet, he was reappointed at Advisor to the President on Infrastructure – quite ridiculous.
ANTOINETTE WEEKS WAS ANOTHER wreck at the Ministry of Public Works. Even Madam President longed to see her “foot prints”, but it was easy to guess that the President was disappointed in her performance which probably led to her removal as Minister. Surprisingly and to the disappointment of the Liberian people, the Minister whose “footprints” was never seen was appointed to ECOWAS to oversee infrastructure in the regional body.
WE’RE NOW GETTING TO GET a deeper sense of understanding when former Auditor General, John S. Morlu, II wrote in a commentary that President Sirleaf only fired corrupt officials to get international attention.
MORLU WROTE: “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has not only failed to prosecute corrupt officials implicated in GAC audits, LACC audits, Ministry of Justice investigations and the multitude of presidential commissions that have investigated graft, President Sirleaf has mastered the “technique” of firing people publicly to get international attention but she soon turned around and hired them when she thinks Liberians and international media have forgotten.”
“ELLEN SIRLEAF HAS ALWAYS managed to get attention for firing while at the same time getting these officials remain her friends and in her Government, somehow, some way.”
NOW WE SEE ANOTHER SIMILITUDE of mockery not only at the Liberian people but also at the international community. Must Varbah Gayflor be appointed as Resident Representative of the ECOWAS Commission to the Gambia amid corruption allegations?
THIS IS A WOMAN WHO PRIOR TO her transfer to the Labor Ministry, the General Auditing Commission in an audit report on the Gender Ministry covering the years 2006 to 2009 raised a number of red flags about the Minister’s credibility and the misapplication of public funds at that Ministry.
THE AUDIT REPORT ALSO ACCUSED her of failing to account for more than US $143,000 reportedly used for the procurement of stationery for some women organizations in Liberia including the rural women. Irrespective of the Minister’s notoriety in the media, she in Johnson-Sirleaf’s Liberia remains untouchable and a darling of the administration. She is pampered and promoted at the detriment of the country.
ANOTHER CASE IS THAT OF MEDINA WESSEH who was embroiled in the messy Private Use Permit saga in the logging sector. She is expected to represent Liberia at the Mano River Union.
COULD IT BE THAT THE President is often trapped between integrity and friendship? Honestly, this act is hurting Mama Liberia.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WHILE we are aware that your time is running out, Liberians must not be taken for granted and those representing the country at sub-regional, regional and global bodies should be properly vetted.
YES, LIBERIA IS BRAIN DRAINED, but Madam President, only and only if you open up to a free and open vetting process, without attaching strings, you would find outstanding qualified individuals with impeccable character who have love for country and are ever ready to make Liberia proud again.