Monrovia – The Executive Mansion has revealed that President George Manneh Weah was the one who hinted security personnel on Mr. Andrew Wonplo’s involvement in the alleged passport syndicate and was never associated with such a ‘criminal act.’
“It was the President who gave the tip to security people to apprehend him. If the President had dirty deeds, would he have done that?” Kelgbeh opined.
It is not clear how long it took President Weah to inform the security on Mr. Wonplo’s deeds, but some pundits have expressed doubt over why such information was within the confines of President Weah and that immediate action not taken to dismiss Wonplo, especially when he (Wonplo) was just implicated.
The Executive Mansion response comes days after Wonplue, the man in the center of the ‘dubious passport sale’ linked President Weah to receiving US$300,000, (Three Hundred Thousands USD) weekly.
Presidential Press Secretary Isaac Solo Kelgbeh told Executive Mansion reporters Tuesday, October 6, that the President would have seen no business in hinting security personnel about Wonplue’s ‘criminal behavior’ if he was involved with such act.
Mr. Wonplo was heard in an audio played on the OK FM Morning Drive accusing President Weah of receiving US$300,000 weekly as bribe fees for passport being sold. However, Mr. Kelgbeh wonder why Mr. Wonplo did not make all of the revelations being alleged by him when he was still heading the Passport Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“He had the responsibility and time to come out and have a press conference, but did not do so, and did not resign until now,” Mr. Kelgbeh averred.
The Press Secretary further stated that the revelations coming from the former passport director are only intended to “shift public attention from the real truth.”
Mr. Wonplue was banned from entry into the United States in early September for his alleged involvement with passport fraud. He has since been on a rampage, linking several officials of government including President Weah of being in the know of passport fraud.
In a strongly-worded news release making rounds on social media, Mr. Wonplo said his arrest and subsequent detention was nothing but a ploy by senior officials including the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, now a contender for the Senatorial Midterm elections in December, the Executive Mansion Chief of Protocols Finda Nora Bundoo and others as part of the passport syndicate.
Recently, US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo announced the public designation due to Mr.Wonplo’s involvement in significant corruption. “In his official capacity at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2019, Mr. Wonplo was involved in passport fraud that undermined the rule of law, reduced the Liberian public’s faith in their government’s management of identification and travel documents, and compromised the integrity and security of immigration processes,” the Secretary of State said.
Press Secretary Kelgbeh said Tuesday that Mr. Wonplo’s corrupt attitude’ is dated as far back as his high school days, one of which prompted ousted Liberian President Charles Taylor to unleashed member of the Anti-Terrorist Unit at the St. Peter Lutheran Campus on allegation of unaccounted students’ council money.
In separate development, Kelgbeh has asserted that President Weah is not refusing to give hazard benefit to health workers, but will give such benefit only to those who worked during the COVID-19 crisis.
Kelgbeh statement comes few days after President Weah condemned healthworkers during his birthday 54th celebration, for staging a go-slow.
President Weah said that it is unfortunate that they would abandon their job over salary.
The National Health Workers Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) are demanding the certification of their Union, the provision of a clear salary base for each grade that correspond with their qualifications, reclassification of health workers who have upgraded their professional status over the period of time, and the suspension of the policy document for Redeployment and Transfer until the Union can have an input.
They are also demanding the provision of a blueprint on how the gaps created as a result of the pensioning of almost 1,000 health workers by the government will be filled, victims and families of Covid-19 should benefit from the US$500,000 announced in a July meeting held with authorities of the Ministries of Health, State for Presidential Affairs and Finance and Development Planning, salaries increment, and the payment of hazard benefits to all healthcare workers.
The Government of Liberia (GOL) reacted by calling on the public health workers or risk being replaced at the various places of assignment.
President Weah also instructed Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah to solicit applications, through County Health Offices to fill in the gaps creating as a result of the strike.
President Weah said protest was not the best option for health workers, because their action to leave work is life-threatening.
“Tomorrow, when you are sick, maybe the person you refused on sick bed because of little money might be the next in your place,” he said.
However Mr. Kelgbeh said despite resolving to pay only those who work during COVID-19 crisis, the President is on the other hand against health workers forming a Union.
“Health workers are civil servants and cannot be unionized, but in spite of that, the government is still negotiating with them,” he maintained.