MONROVIA – As President George Manneh Weah struggles to stabilize the economy, some of his appointees, on the other hand, are creating an uneasy environment for the President’s government and the economy. This is according to some employees of one of the public entities.
President Weah’s lead appointee at the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), who is a Pastor, is now being accused of being entangled with allegations of bad leadership, divisiveness and nepotism.
Report by Ediwin G. Genoway, [email protected]
President George Manneh Weah, in March 2019, appointed the former Board Chairman of LAA, Bishop J. Allen Klayee, as Acting Managing Director to head the airports authority.
Bishop Klayee replaced Wil Bako Freeman, who resigned from the LAA recently.
Few weeks following Bishop Klayee’s appointment, some employees, mainly those assigned at the James Spriggs Payne Airport in Sinkor, have expressed “vote of no confidence” in their boss for his alleged act of nepotism, divisiveness and bad labor practice.
Some employees, who spoke to this newspaper, accused the Bishop of allegedly bringing along with him to LAA at least 18 persons from his Jubilee Praise Church, all of whom he employed and increased wage bill of the entity. They stated that included among those he brought are his two children — Rashella Klayee and Emmanuel Klayee.
He is also being accused of employing his Women’s Department president, his private Secretary at the church, head of the Usher Department, and his Choir directress, all from the Jubilee Praise where he is as Bishop of the Church.
According to aggrieved employees, who begged not to be named for fear of reprisal, Bishop Klayee, upon him taking over, immediately changed the Procurement Director and replaced him with another man.
The head of Cargo was also allegedly changed and replaced with the Choir Directress of Jubilee Praise.
“He also brought in Prince Shanpoh to be monitoring us and carrying news to him on employees. When Prince hears any employee discussing the MD, he will carry your name to him. When you are not careful, you will be dismissed,” an employee explained.
A FrontPageAfrica investigation has also revealed that since Bishop Klyee in March, he has never called a general staff meeting.
Employees of the entity have also complained of not being able to express themselves due to the cancellation of staff meetings and the continuous alleged threats from the “Man of God.”
Another official who is in the middle of the allegations, is the airport manager of the James Spriggs Payne Airport, Mr. Emmanuel Tarplah, who, according to these employees, has joined the bishop to allegedly run the LAA “their own way.”
When this newspaper made contacts with Bishop Klayee, he told us that his Public Relation Officer (PRO) would respond on his behalf. He further promised to give the number of the PRO to us.
After several reminders to the Bishop, he is yet to send the number of his PRO. We have also been waiting for the last three days for official response from him.