The squabble for seeking or retaining jobs in the public sector is said to intensifying among members of the ruling party and the opposition ahead of the final pronouncement of the results of the just conducted October 10 presidential and legislative elections by the National Elections Commission (NEC) in Liberia.
By Obediah Johnson
The governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the opposition Unity Party (UP) are neck-to-neck in the provisional results being announced by the NEC.
During the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 17, a purported whatsapp exchanges from one of the chat rooms of the UP went viral on the social media, indicating the marginalization of citizens from some sectors of the country for governmental positions when the UP wins the elections.
In the whatsapp group titled ‘UP Governing Team’, former Deputy Information Minister Robert Kpadeh, Jake Kabakole, UP Secretary General Amos Tweh were the major actors.
A list from Mr. Jabaloke shows the names of individuals who will serve key positions in the UP led-government of Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Those listed were: Tornolah Varpilah (Ministry of Agriculture), Amin Modad (Ministry of Commerce and Industry), Alaric Tokpa, Ministry of Education, Sylvester Nyumah (Ministry of Finance and Development Planning), John B. Fello (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), MacDella Cooper (Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection), and Dr. Sando Sherman (Ministry of Health and Social Welfare).
The rest are: Jerolimek Piah (Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism), Moses W. Vah (Ministry of Internal Affairs), Counselor Bendeict Sarnoh (Minitry of Justice), Counselor Neto Z. Leigh, Sr (Ministry of Labor), Sando Dazoe Johnson (Ministry of Mines and Energy), and Stephen Zargo (Ministry of National Defense).
The rest are: Cllr. Cooper Kruah (Ministry of Post and Telecommunications), Roland Gidding (Ministry of Public Works), Jacob Kabakole (Ministry of State), Rev. Luther Tarpeh (Ministry of Transport), Cllr. Cole Bangalu (Ministry of Youth and Sports and Patrick Honnah (Presidential Press Secretary).
The leaked purported whatsapp exchanges from the UP also nominated Joseph N. Boakai, Jr for the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), Chris Massaquoi (Liberia National Police), Brownie Samukai (Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company), Armah Jallah (National Port Authority), Stephen R. Johnson (Internal Audit Agency), Mo Ali (WASH Commission) and Dorr Cooper (National Transit Authority).
The list was reported to be the revised version endorsed by the party’s Standard Bearer Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
An objection to the revised listing was raised by Mr. Kpadeh, questioning the omission of citizens from Nimba as prospective cabinet members of the Boakai led-government due to the role played by Senator Prince Johnson and Jeremiah Koung as running mate to Ambassador Boakai.
However, the need for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court to prosecution perpetrators was a reason given to prevent the appointment of more citizens from Nimba in the UP led-government.
The current listing also shows that many executives of the UP residing abroad are given first preference for cabinet positions over those residing and canvasing for the election of Ambassador Boakai back home.
The exchanges further reemphasized the UP commitment to prosecute war and economic criminals following the ascendancy of Ambassador Boakai to the presidency.
UP denies
But in a telephone interview with FrontPage Africa, UP Secretary General Amos Tweh termed the leaked whatsapp exchanges as a mere propaganda being orchestrated against the UP by the governing CDC.
He said the UP is in no way focused on distributing jobs to its executives and others, but remain concerned about the free, fair and transparent conduct of the elections presently.
“This (whatsapp exchanges) is absolute rubbish and the CDC is behind this. George Weah has colluded and cheated his way into a run-off with us. So, he wants to do all he can to win the elections because he has been rejected by the people. Through cheats and collusion, he’s managing to get into a run-off with UP.”
“We are concerned about the elections being won by the UP first and foremost-not that Ambassador Joseph Boakai does not have a plan for this country. We have a development plan well laid out that we have presented to the public. That’s what we are on right now. Distribution of jobs is not the focus of the UP.”
Tweh maintained that UP will not be carried away by the propaganda from the CDC, adding that, “how come people will be on elections and you are saying somebody dividing cabinet positions; that’s just CDC childish propaganda.”
According to him, the opposition political party remains focused on the “collective happiness of Liberia and its citizens.”
Tweh pointed out that for more than four years ago, the UP has supported the establishment of war and economic crimes court in Liberia.
However, he disclosed that, the party is not targeting specific individuals for prosecution.
He said though the CDC is in power, it is allegedly undermining the establishment of the court to prosecute perpetrators of war and economic crimes.
“The UP remains fully committed to the establishment of war and economic crimes court since three to four years ago. We have issued releases to that effect.”
Though the UP has denied knowledge of the listing of its proposed cabinet members, Liberians have been expressing concerns over the publishing of the list marginalizing citizens from Nimba and South-eastern Liberia barely few days to the official announcement of the first-round of voting by the NEC.
On the other hand, executives of the CDC working in government are exerting efforts to ensure the re-election of President Weah.
They have been engaged into canvassing at the grassroot and community levels, thereby imploring plans and strategies, along with their wives, husbands and other family members to retain Weah at the presidency.
By during this, they are confident that they would retain their respective appointed governmental positions, or be transferred from one position to another during the second term of a Weah led-administration