KAKATA, Margibi County — The United States Government has widened its sanctions against Liberian officials, issuing visa restrictions against Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, and Senators Albert T. Chie of Grand Kru County and Emmanuel Nuquay of Margibi County.
By Yaway Jaivey, FPA Contributor
The U.S. State Department announced the latest move on Monday, 11 December 2023, bringing to a total of nine officials who have been sanctioned so far in the Weah-led regime.
The U.S. has also included on the list of visa restrictions the immediate family members of Mr. Tweah, Mr. Chie, and Mr. Nuquay.
The U.S. State Department said pursuant to Section 7031(c), it has publicly designated Mr. Tweah, Sen. Chie, and Sen. Nuquay, for their alleged involvement in significant corruption by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes.
The U.S. government has accused the top Liberian officials of offering or receiving bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity.
As part of this action, the U.S. explained that their immediate family members including their spouses Delecia Berry Tweah, Abigail Chie, and Ruthtoria Brown Nuquay, and Tweah and Nuquay’s minor children are also designated.
Earlier on 8 December 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Monrovia Mayor and ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) secretary general Jefferson Koijee.
Koijee’s sanction is pursuant to E.O. 13818 for engaging or having been a leader of an entity that has engaged in serious human rights abuse and corruption.
The U.S. said Koijee has engaged in corrupt acts, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets and pressuring anti-corruption investigators to halt all corruption investigations.
The U.S. had last year sanctioned Margibi County Senator-elect Nathaniel McGill, River Cess County Senator-elect Bill Twehway, and former Solicitor General Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephus.
The three senior officials from the Executive were sanctioned along with Nimba Senator Prince Y. Johnson and Grand Cape Mount Senator Varney G. Sherman.
FrontPageAfrica’s Yaway Jaivey sampled the views of Margibians on visa restrictions placed on their senator, with many saying it could hurt the development of the county considering that two of the county’s senators – Nuquay and McGill – are now facing US sanctions..
Musa K. Ballah, Taxi Driver, Kakata
“When I read on Facebook last night, when I saw the information, I felt very bad because the name that came out, it’s a name from Margibi County. Why is it that this time is Honorable Nuquay? They were talking about Honorable McGill, it gone to Nuquay. It went to Albert Chie. It went to Koijee. We talking about reconciliation and we talking about sanctioning people from Margibi, one way or the other, it affects us. These are people that Margibians can cry on to come to their aid but you start sanctioning these people because of what? You get prove? All these allegations, you get prove? McGill still went and ran and became Senator and he been certificated. Why you never sanction McGill and children? Only Nuquay and his children. As for me in my opinion, I feel very discouraged because Nuquay is a citizen from Margibi County. That means they are witch-hunting. Maybe they feel Honorable Nuquay got a future ambition to become Pro-Tempore of the Senate. Maybe they want to do that to break him down so he can’t contest the pro-tempt election because they feel that if Honorable Nuquay takes pro-tempt position, it will bring some kind of embarrassment to the ruling party. If they say you are being sanctioned, that means the people will say you should rescue yourself. That means you will not take part in the process. As Margibians, only few people will be happy. Over the years, he been a good man. Though I never been to Nuquay’s place for assistance, but we all are from Margibi, if I hate him, who I will like?”
Friday Edwin Cruisor, Chairman,
Civil Society Council of Liberia Margibi Chapter
“Firstly, I see this as a setback for our leadership and the reason I said a setback is that Liberia has been a country that cannot be void of America in almost everything. I don’t know where it dates from. Whether it is from our foundation or wherever but what I see that we’ve done anything in the absence of America being a major player or whatever. What I think is that we need to see how like the visa restrictions say, it is for behavior change; if they linked, I am saying if because is an alleged issue. If they’re linked to anything, it means they need to change from it so that we can be able to go forward.The negative part of it is that when you are sanctioned, there will be visa restriction from going to America and most times there are issues in the Americas where our citizens have conferences annually, they usually send for our leaders and they have to be there. Some of the times, they are there raising funds for the county. I see it as a major factor for undermining developments. To have McGill as a senator and also to have Nuquay as being sanctioned for alleged corrupt acts. It is a contempt charge. It is interpreted by the person who leveraged so if they say it is based on behavior change. There is no bench mark to say if you do this then they will lift your sanction.”
Fatu T Corneh, Businesswoman,
District Five, Margibi County
“Actually, I feel very down hearted . Right now, as I speak, I’m very much miserable with the information because Honorable Nuquay that I know for the past 20 years, I have not come across anything of such. People will preach politics but reaching this far, this my very first time to hear this. Honorable Nuquay been a good human being; he understands everybody’s problem when it comes to the living conditions of the Margibi Citizens. Nuquay is peace loving citizen of this county here. The county is not feeling good. The county is actually not feeling good with the saying until it is proven. I for one, sometimes I sit down and analyze and say it is alleged but maybe when it comes to focus, he will be proven not guilty of the act.”
Musa Siryon,
political pundit, Kakata
“Individually as a Margibian, I may not be one of the happiest men on earth because a year ago, the current Senator-elect was sanctioned and our current Senator (Emmanuel Nuquay) from the upper end to be sanctioned. To have two senators sanctioned, I don’t think it’s not a very good thing for Margibi County but again, it also sends a signal to people who are in the habit of abusing power because they feel they have political positions so they must keep abusing power. This is a caveat that has been set so other people must also be able to govern themselves so I will not tell you say I am happy. I’m sad because it happened to Margibi, we have two persons that been sanctioned, but I am also happy that those that sanctioned deserve to be sanctioned. It is clear. The guys were involved in massive corruption.”
Vandi Kromah, President,
Margibi Private School Teachers Association
“Well, for us, we don’t know the yardstick which the American People used to sanction one of our citizens (Emmanuel Nuquay) who have developed this county when it comes to development. Who have worked for the interest of the people, who every year pays most of our children’s school fees in the various schools? Who has helped parents; who has built institutions? He’s the first Margibian who built a school for the Muslim Community using government’s money. We don’t know on which yardstick they have sanctioned our leader but when it comes to reaction to the yardstick that they used, but we are saying to the people of Margibi County and the Private School Teachers Association Inc., that we are not happy. The reason why we are not happy, the Americans are not living with us here. We’re the ones who live here. We know who the best persons that help us on the ground and when it comes to the support to our education. But again, that is what they have done. It means a lot of things because they are saying the Global Magnitsky, the action is for behavior change. Are they telling us that Senator Nuquay should not help people children in school again? Are they telling us that the people that Senator Nuquay has employed on his farm, will not pay them again? Like I said we are in Africa. No African will sanction American men. You don’t think that some of them have hands in most of the things that happen here?
Samuel K. K. Davis,
Nurse, Kakata
“They should be real to everybody about this sanction, it should not only be Margibi alone. Let the American Embassy make sure and bring others who have committed crimes and are going with impunities. The negative effect is that we have our two senators who are our elders from Margibi County have been sanctioned; it will have a negative impact because when it comes to legislative representation, our Senators will not be able to fully function. Senator Nuquay has lots of good sides. He worked in Margibi County as a Representative and then worked as a Speaker. He has built schools around and then he has other developments, he sent people to school and other things but he is our leader so we need a speedy investigation so that we will not be affected all over because we have two senators in Margibi County sanctioned.”