MONROVIA – The Chairman of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has come under a barrage of criticism for calling on the Transport Minister to rescind his decision to appoint Mr. Oliver Dillon as Director for Ports and Border Entry at the Ministry of Transport, simply because he is the brother, Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, is an ardent critic of the government and a member of the opposition block.
Morlu said, opposition members should not be given positions in the CDC-led government while qualified partisans are still searching for jobs.
The ruling party chairman said the Transport Minister Sam Wlue had often rejected the employment of qualified members of the ruling establishment – often giving a “no vacancy” excuse, yet created a position only to accommodate Mr. Dillon.
He argued that the appointment of Sen. Dillion’s brother has no moral justification, and further described the action as an insult to the CDC and its members who fought hard to bring them to power.
“While commending the President’s efforts in appointing many qualified partisans to serve in his administration, it calls for the inclusion of more qualified and loyal partisans (of the Congress for Democratic Change, the National Patriotic Party, the Liberia People’s Democratic Party, the NUDP & collaborating political parties) to strategic positions in government; replacing treacherous fifth columnist infiltrators who may be part of the government, but working against the President’s development goals,” Morlu said.
“As a part of the new beginning, the mighty Coalition for Democratic Change calls for nullification of this recent provocation at the Ministry of Transport as a necessary step in building a cohesive and strong party. It is [sad to have] a cabinet minister appointing non-partisans to important positions at ministries and agencies, while qualified partisans are left to wander street corners in search of jobs,” added Morlu in a press conference on Friday, March 19, 2021, at the party’s headquarters in Congo Town. He warned all Cabinet Ministers in the CDC-led administration to desist from appointing people in the opposition.
The Minister has since withdrawn the appointment.
But speaking to OK FM, Oliver Dillon disclosed when he was acquitted by the court on the charges of murder levelled against him, he returned to work but his position as Decentralization was occupied.
However, he was asked to remain in the ministry where he had been languishing around until the Minister created the new post for him.
He said, though he does not know how his appointment letter surfaced on social media, upon looking at the political feedbacks, he decided to thank the Minister for the offer, but requested that he served in a different capacity – something he said led to the withdrawal of his appointment.
“People who know me will know that I’ve never been involved with politics. I have no political party. My brother is with the Liberty Party but I’m not a member of any political party,” he said.
Mr. Dillon told the media that he had been harassed by unknown persons who threatened him not to accept the new appointment.
During his six years as Coordinator for Decentralization, Oliver Dillon successfully helped to expand the Ministry of Transport’s revenue base by opening up regional offices in strategic points across the country to enable vehicle owners to register their vehicles without having to come to Monrovia to perform this requirement.
“Before this, people would bring vehicles in from neighboring countries like Guinea and drive them in the counties until the vehicles were fully depreciated without ever registering them,” Mr. Dillon explained.
Over Dillon was acquitted on January 14 after spending almost two years behind bars. He was indicted for murder after the death of one Emmanuel Kofi who attempted robbing him in Barnesville in April 2019.