MONROVIA – The Concerned Citizens United to Bring Our Money Back (COCUBOMB) has again announced another protest. This time, COCUBOMB leadership has disclosed that their next protest would be a nationwide demonstration as a way of displaying their displeasure with President George Weah’s ‘angry’ reaction to their protest staged on Monday, September 24, 2018. Their first protest was only concentrated in Monrovia.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
Mssrs Martin K. N. Kollie and Emmanuel Gonguoi, who spoke on behalf of the group, said President Weah was in error to condemn their protest, which he indicated was meant to express citizens’ disenchantment over the handling of the alleged missing L$16 billion.
“We will issue hundred more citations, asking businesses and schools to shutdown, because Liberians are the ones doing the businesses you are talking about. This is about Liberia,” both said.
During COCUBOMB’s September 24th mass demonstration, they presented three separate petitions to the US Government, through its Embassy near Monrovia, the European Union Office and the United Nations Headquarters in Liberia. The one presented to the UN was also received by both the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
In their petition, they pleaded for Liberia’s international partners’ intervention into the alleged disappearance of the money.
They also told the international community to halt all supports to the Weah-led administration until proper outcome is provided on the whereabouts of the L$16 billion.
At a Thanksgiving Service upon his return from the United Nations General Assembly on Sunday, September 30th, Pres. Weah frowned at protesters, noting that their action brought Liberia to public disrepute.
“Let us not wish for something we don’t want. The entire world was watching when our own citizens were protesting everywhere and calling for the United Nations and the world not to help Liberia.
“With your 16 billion, because all over the internet [people are saying] George Weah spoke well but let him bring our 16 billion. It’s sad but we laugh. But I hope one of you will get in a position when someone lies on you – and those people that lying they are culpable. These are the people that caused the problem.
“We left from here, going to the UN, all my colleagues I have to explain to them. You expect me to perform well for you when you telling the whole world that I stole 16 billion? And I go on the UN podium, when I make mistake and don’t represent the country well, you will be the same person to say that ‘we told you’ll.’”
However, the group’s frontrunners, Martin Kollie and Emmanuel Gonquoi on the Truth Breakfast Show Monday, October 1, contested the President comments against their protest as “sarcastic.”
Mssrs Kollie and Gonquoi in separate statements maintained that COCUBOMB is further prepared to engage government more vigorously through their protest action until the alleged missing L$16 billion is restituted.
Kollie and others also expressed a vote of no confidence in the investigative committee set up by the President to probe the alleged financial scandal.
“We will continue to campaign for social justice until this money is fully restituted and those who are linked to this horrific corruption scandal are brought to justice. This money got missing under the Presidency of George M. Weah, so this government must account for it,” Kollie and Gonquoi maintained.
“We as civil society organization, have no trust in this government to investigate itself. The government stands at the accused angle. How can you be the accuse and at the same time defendant and jury? It is unacceptable.”
According to them, the President’s comments show that he is taking the situation surrounding the alleged missing money lightly and unwilling to end the circle of systemic corruption and impunity in the country.
The two gentlemen believe the President’s action has the ability to undermine the credibility of the investigation and could further lead to economy and security threats.
“A handful of economic scavengers cannot continue to undermine the collective interests and destiny of our people. We will continue to protect the ultimate interest of the massive.”
They argued that the alleged missing billion could help to address some of the country’s problems by paying over 70,000 public classroom teachers and over 365,000 medical practitioners instead of it being embezzled by few.
COCUBOMB heads expressed frustration that at the rate of 298 doctors currently, this poses huge health gap in Liberia while billions are mysteriously disappearing from the national coffer.
According to them, contradictions keep coming from key officials of government since news broke about the money. They also stated that the President’s latest position on the missing billions saga is a cover up.
“You listened to the Chairman of the CDC Mulbah Morlu, you have been listening to other testimonies that money was stolen. You listened to [Rep] Solomon George. The point is, the government has been dishonest, the government has been inconsistent and there are too many contradictions,” Kollie and Gonquoi intoned.
“There are too many fundamental frauds with some of the testimonies from government officials, today the Ministry of Justice will say nine billions, tomorrow the Ministry of Information will say 16 billion, today the Minister of Information along with the President will say money is missing, tomorrow the Minister of Finance will say no money is missing, so there are lots of contradictions here.”
They frown on the President allowing his loyalists to bus people to the Roberts International Airport (RIA) to welcome him home.
“No rational leader will see a situation in a country that can amount to national emergency and allow people pay students, motorcyclists to come and await such leader,” they emphasized.