Monrovia – A National Executive Committee member of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change, (CDC) Representative Solomon Claudius George, has blasted some officials of the party who grossly and continuously show disrespect to grassroot supporters and partisans of the CDC who normally trooped at their respective offices in search of job opportunities and assistance.
Most often barrage of partisans and supporters of the ruling party are seen clustered at various government ministries, agencies and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) either to seek employment opportunities or solicit handouts or finances from their senior partisans or friends that are gainfully employed at those entities.
It can be recalled that barely few weeks after the inauguration of President George Manneh Weah in 2018, CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu and Youth Chairman, Jefferson Koijee sought the employment of thousands of their partisans and supporters at various government ministries, agencies and commissions through the sending of long listings bearing the names of members and supporters of the party.
The absorbing of those “CDCians” on the payroll of government prompted delay in the payment of salaries to civil servants across line ministries and agencies of the Liberian government.
The situation compelled government to institute the salary harmonization process.
Speaking in an interview with FrontPage Africa at his Capitol Building office in Monrovia over the weekend, Representative George stated that government officials, especially those from different political parties, must be cognizant of the fact that the jobs they are serving in were provided through the votes cast by members and supporters of the CDC, and as such, “CDCians” must be treated with utmost respect whenever they visit various government ministries and agencies.
He said the government is being run by the CDC, and those who suffered for the party should not be treated disdainfully.
He noted that the governance process of the country will be characterized with “mishaps” if supporters or partisans of the ruling party who devoted their time and energy to the party are not treated with respect by those serving in power.
Representative George maintained that the habit of some of these government officials to disrespect grass root supporters and members of the party amounts to “ungratefulness”.
Said Rep. George: “Some government officials are not treating our partisans the right way when they go to visit them. You are in power because, they put you there by their votes; but when partisans go there they will say ‘oh this place na CDC place oo’. This is a CDC-led government even if the President says it is not; I denied it and refused it. The country now is under the CDC and so, CDCians must be treated with respect order than that; there will be some mishaps. That’s the problem. The lower status partisans are the ones that made us to win the elections; they are the ones that crowned this government into power. So, we must respect and speak to them with dignity”.
Rep. George however admitted to numerous lapses and challenges confronting the government.
He explained: “If we say we are satisfied than it means that we do not have challenges. There are challenges and we are working to ensure that these challenges are met with combative forces to change from negative to positive. For the last eight months we been in the Covid-19 era and the great America and European countries are in turmoil economically; than what’s about Africa. What the past government did that we are not doing today; this government is working on the right and positive trajectory and we are going to get there. This year we are going to make 64%, by next year we will make 70%, year after next 80% and by the time we get to election we will get 90%”.
Party Shunning Masses
At the same time, Representative George has attributed the defeat of the ruling party in previous by-elections to the shunning of “the masses”, who make up a large portion of CDC membership.
He added that despite the situation that occurred in the past, the current level of political engagements being carried out by executives and senatorial candidates of the governing party across the country, more seats will be won by the CDC in the ensuing December 8, 2020 senatorial elections.
Said the lawmaker: “Like I said before, the CDC forgot the masses; like we are going to the masses now and engaging the stalwarts of the three parties of the coalition, victory is surely certain, and nothing can stop us from achieving that victory. If we continue on the platform we are working on right now, we will become victorious”.
Rep. George said the best thing the CDC can do is to continue what she started. Last week we were in meeting called by the Chairman of the party, engaging the three collaborating parties from the coalition; asking for their support to help push the elections for our candidates to ensure victory”.
What did other governments do?
Representative George, however, opposed suggestions that the high level of hardship Liberians are encountering as a result of the country’s declining economy; lack of investment and job opportunities, as well as government’s weak stance to combat against corruption, will hinder the CDC changes of democratically winning more seats during the polls.
“What did other governments do here concerning corruption that we are not doing now to fight corruption? Why they are using that is because, they fought with every arms and ammunitions they have and they know that they will not survive. They are swimming now and they saw this plantain leave floating and they are trying to hang on this plantain leave that is taking them down”.
Representative George claimed that disenchanted members and supporters of the CDC who voted for other candidates in the past have made up their minds to return to their party because of the high level of “insults” they received for losing their stronghold, Montserrado County to the opposition in 2019.
“Whether we are thieves, killers, armed robbers, gangsters or what-they are all coming back to vote the CDC”.
LRA Employees Deaths ‘Not About Sex’
Commenting on the deaths of the two employees of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), who were found dead in a vehicle on Broad Street, the CDC lawmaker urged Liberians to remain calm and wait for the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Mrs. Gifty Asmah Lama and Mr. Albert Peters were discovered in a vehicle on Broad Street, opposite the Sacred Heart Cathedral Church in Monrovia during the early morning hours of Friday, October 2.
She was the Acting Manager for Tax Services while Mr. Peters was the Assistant Commissioner for Audit.
The Late Gifty Asmah Lama was known to be a Research Analyst with the LRA but, prior to her sudden unexplained death, she was transferred as Manager for Taxpayers Services – the section responsible for the supervision of all incoming government money. She was assisting Albert Peters who was also commissioned to audit the consolidated account at the Central Bank of Liberia prior to their mysterious deaths.
FrontPageAfrica gathered from impeccable sources that the Central Bank of Liberia has not been making transfers into that account as required. Revenue and account reconciliation, according to an expert, requires spending long hours at the Central Bank.
Sources informed FrontPageAfrica that Gifty and Albert had been trying to trace taxpayers’ payments to the consolidated fund but had not been successful because the Central Bank had not been making the transfers. Gifty, according to sources, may have been assisting Albert to dig out the collection of revenue relative to this account from the LRA tax system.
Following the incident, government, through the Liberia National Police (LNP) launched an investigation.
Representative George, however, ruled out speculations that the pair died as a result of sexual intercourse. “Being personal will help to taint the investigation. What we need to do is to wait and hear what the police will say while we too are investigating from the background what took place. I can tell anybody that, that particular event is not about sex; I don’t believe in that. In fact, I knew the young man before and I taught him in college; the young woman was like a daughter to me”.
Added Rep. George: “That display of that young woman in that car is not her; no way, I refuse to accept it. She is a devout Christian even though sometimes Christian can fail. How can we be having sex and my entire attire; my jacket, pants disappeared? Something fishy was done, but we leave it with the investigators. Let’s wait for the police findings to say additional what we believe”.