Monrovia – Montserrado County’s District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah has accused President George Manneh Weah of ‘stealing’ three million metric tons of gasoline from the Liberia Petroleum and Refining Company (LPRC).
Rep. Kolubah made the stinging allegation against President Weah in a live Facebook video interview conducted Thursday, February 13, at the Capitol Building in Monrovia.
“Are you aware that the President connived with people in LPRC? They stole three million tons of gas from LPRC? The President is aware. The President connived with people in LPRC to steal gas from there so the importers have said if they cannot get their gas that was stolen by the President and the people he sent there, they will not bring gas,” Rep. Kolubah alleged in the video interview.
Rep. Kolubah, who is known to be very controversial, also challenged the Executive Mansion to prove him wrong in a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Let the President take me to court, I will bring my evidence. You know he has always employ 4.1.9 people to carry on his 4.1.9 attitudes. The man is a crook.”
Rep. Kolubah continued: “Our information we got from the LPRC is that, the marketing manager and the deputy director for operations connived with the President to steal gas from the LPRC, that’s what causing the gas shortage in this country. So we are calling on him to go back and give the people their gas.”
“Are you aware that the President connived with people in LPRC? They stole three million tons of gas from LPRC? The President is aware. The President connived with people in LPRC to steal gas from there so the importers have said if they cannot get their gas that was stolen by the President and the people he sent there, they will not bring gas.”
– Rep. Yekeh Kolubah
The lawmaker’s allegation comes at the point Liberians are in dire need of the product (gasoline) as there is acute shortage of it nationwide.
A gallon of gasoline is now sold on the Liberian market for L$650 (at filling stations) to at least L$2,500 from on-the-side peddlers. These peddlers brave the long queues and hours to get the product from the filling stations and come and triple the price outside.
The shortage of the commodity is causing some Liberians to stay away from work, school and activities as transportation fare has become unbearable and unaffordable.
The situation, which started about a month ago now, has since been increasing daily as Liberians find it difficult to commute.
In response to the allegation, the Presidential Press Secretary, Isaac Solo Kelgbeh described the lawmaker’s accusation against the President as “reckless and irresponsible”.
“The President is disheartened by the dire situation that his compatriots are currently faced with, and working tirelessly to bring about a solution – which is already in sight. But for the lawmaker to want to use this to score cheap political point is concerning, but not all that surprising”
Kelgbeh continues: “Representative Kolubah is noted for making outlandish remarks only to come back shortly afterwards to retract, claiming he was not in the ‘right frame of mind’. We have no option but to believe that sometimes the lawmaker isn’t always sane.”