Paynesville – In a bid to join the fight in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Liberia, the Isaac Vah-Tukpah Foundation his begun the distribution of rice and sanitary materials to several disadvantage groups in Montserrdao County.

The sanitary materials include buckets with faucets, soap and masks.

The institutions that are being covered include the Group of 77, the Blind Association of old Road, District #10, the Diggsville-Orphanage in District 11 and the Todee Mission in District #1, Montserrado County.

According to the organization’s Chairlady and Operation Manager, Cecelia Kpor, the foundation, with support from its founder, Isaac Vah-Tukpah has decided to launch this humanitarian outreach to identify with disadvantaged and underprivileged Liberians in these times of crisis.

Madam Kpor, a medical practitioner, said it was important for the distribution as members of the foundation will have the opportunity to create massive awareness on how the virus spreads and how it can be prevented.

Speaking further she said the total monetary value of the 1tems is US$6000.

Also speaking, the Coordinator of the foundation, Mickee Matus Gosoe revealed that the foundation, following Montserrado County’s distribution, will be extending to Margibi, Grand Bassa and Rivercess Counties to identify with the residents.

Madam Gosoe, speaking further, said the founder, Isaac Vah-Tukpah is a Liberian based in the United States who established the foundation to give back to his community.

“He is a man who is always giving to the poor. He started his foundation from the root level, and now we intend to extend to the rural areas. It is foundation that is always there for the people,’ she said.

Also speaking at separate occasions, the beneficiaries of the gesture, thanked the Isaac Vah-Tukpah Foundation for identifying with them during these times of needs.

Mr. President, greetings!

I think we should all be seeking national interests in critical times and under critical situations. In my opinion, we are being compromised on two fronts. I believe at the level of the presidency, we cannot select individual or personal interest to override the interest of the country.

The two stark examples I would like to mention are:

1. Withdrawing the appointment of the Nigerian, Ndubisi Nwabudike, who presented fake documents for his confirmation hearing. After ignoring the advice of numerous Liberians, you finally withdrew Nwabudike’s nomination at the 11 hour. Unfortunately, you have never explained to the Liberian people why you withdrew the nomination and you have not issued one statement on the next steps as to his investigation, arrest, and prosecution. It was a fairly easy decision to indefinitely suspend Nathaniel Blama, the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, “for repeatedly violating prescribed health protocols and endangering public health.” .We applaud you for that. However, it seems like an impossibility to “indefinitely suspend” Nwabudike for allegedly forging immigration documents. How can someone whose character is exceptionally questionable at best, if not criminal, be left to head the highest INTEGRITY Institution in the land, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission? Mr. President, please take action by firing Nwabudike and handing him over to the police for investigation.
2. Appointing Mary Broh as National Response Coordinator for the Executive Committee on Coronavirus (ECOC) in Liberia and Finda Bundoo as National Compliance Manager of ECOC. The COVID-19 pandemic is not a playground for amateurs. It is a situation that requires experience and expertise in public health or at least the healthcare sector. Madam Broh does not have the expertise or experience to provide “supervision toward a single set of national strategic objectives for defeating the Coronavirus disease.” She has no understanding in that sector. Same for Finda Bundoo. She does not have the expertise or experience to effectively monitor “the overall allocation and disbursement of the response logistics and resources” for the COVID-19 fight. Mr. President, please withdraw these appointments. The management of the Coronavirus situation is already reeling for a myriad of reasons. Having inexperience at the highest level cannot be appropriate at this time, maybe at no time.

Mr. President, by these two acts, you are seemingly not operating per the fundamental values of the CDC. The CDC in my belief and experience stands for:

• Good Governance
• Good Leadership
• Good Representation
• Competence in position
  That is why we sought political power. As CDCians, we must not let our government go to waste because we want to support all actions of our President. Though I was not there on day one of formation, the CDC, by what was documented, was not built on loyalty to George Weah or support to our President regardless of what he does wrong. It was built on the fundamental principle that we should provide an opportunity for every Liberian to have an affordable life. If we hold fast to that truth and the other core values of the CDC, given what is currently obtaining under your leadership, it is obvious that we are falling short.

Mr. President, it is time to step up with real leadership. We have time to self correct. Please fire Nwabudike and turn him over to the Ministry of Justice. Please relieve Mary Broh and Finda Bundoo of their responsibilities on the ECOC and appoint competent Liberians to man those positions.

Thank you Mr. President.

Isaac Vah Tukpah, Jr. is the only two term Chairman of the Congress for Democratic Change – USA. He can be reached at itukpah@gmail.com or +13016555984.

The Editor,

On Friday, May 1, 2015, “President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has with immediate effect, relieved the following persons from their posts at the Liberia National Police (LNP).

They include: 1. Abraham Kromah, as Deputy Director of Police for Operations…”

On Friday, 16th September 2016, “President Sirleaf named…Col. Abraham K. Kromah as Deputy Inspector General for Operations.”

On his exit, “In an apologetic tone, Col. Kromah lifted his hand and said he was sorry for all I he had done to the Liberian people during his tenure of service.”

What will Abraham Kromah say upon his return? Will he lift his hand and say “I am happy to be back to harass, abuse, and assault the Liberian people.”?

Are we that thin in our rule of law human resources that we cannot find anyone else to execute the responsibilities of that position or is it that Madam Sirleaf and her kitchen cabinet are so limited in their understanding of how to recruit for high level positions?

Is it an issue of trusting only very few persons to the exclusion of other competent Liberians or is it that Madam SIrleaf is in – “I don’t give a damn about anything anyone, Liberians or the international community”?

We are in very critical times. For Madam Sirleaf to make such a redundant appointment speaks volumes of her desperation to have a stooge who will simply execute her bidding. Abraham is a friend and I believe a professional but is he that limited in exploring other opportunities or he is only fascinated by the power and impunity that comes with the position?

I know we will hear that her appointees serve at the “will and pleasure” of the president. Let’s just make the correction that they serve at the “pleasure” of the president per Article 56a of the Liberian Constitution.

The president is really defining the word pleasure in her appointments and firings. By definition, pleasure means “a feeling of happiness, enjoyment, or satisfaction.”

Pleasure is a momentary feeling and it derives from some external action. What are the pleasurable things that are happening for the president to make some of these appointments?

Specifically, what is pleasurable about Abraham Kromah today that he is being rewarded with a re-appointment that was not pleasurable 16 months ago when the president sacked him?

The country is being short-changed by the President’s appointments and her tendency to reward the same people over and over again. The president is answerable to the people of

iberia and it is only appropriate that she provides an explanation of why she fired Kromah and what is driving her decision to rehire him. Maybe she needs to admit she made an error and Abraham was the greatest 102 ever or maybe she needs to admit that he was screwing up on the job and she needed to go in a new direction.

However, given the current political and maybe security climate, she needs hands on reckless and abusive Police Director of Operations to cope with the situation. Madam Sirleaf, please come clean and explain to your people why you are reappointing a previously dismissed officer.

Isaac Vah Tukpah, Contributing Writer
itukpah@gmail.com

Monrovia – Isaac Vah Tukpah, Chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (USA Chapter) is urging the party’s supporters to desist from attacking Ms. Meapeh Gono, mother of the party’s political leader’s 10-year-old child now at the center of an abandonment and child support case in the U.S. State of Georgia.

In a Facebook posting Thursday, Mr. Tukpah wrote:

All partisans, sympathizers and well-wishers are advised that no insulting, denigrating, defamatory, libellous, or negative comments or posts will be allowed against Ms. Meapeh Gono.

“We are asking all partisans to refrain from commenting or posting on this issue here or in any other forum. This is a private matter and needs to be handled as such. Everyone’s best interests are served if the noise around this issue can subside in the public space. “

“Please be warned that anyone posting or commenting towards this issue on this forum will be banned.”

Tukpah’s gesture was greeted with mixed reviews:

Meanwhile Rep. Acarous Gray says the party will not abandon its political leader in the midst of the ongoing controversy.

“We are not shying away from standing by the CDC and Weah. Weah will never escape justice and he has gone through a lot in his political life and has prevailed. He remains our leader and a great and patriotic man that deserves the Liberian presidency. “

“We will support this with commitment no matter what is said to diminish his political strength. Weah is our leader, the CDC and we are determined to make him President come 2017. Watch and see our determination”.