WRITTEN IN 1837, Hans Christian Andersen’s play (Story)”The Emperor’s New Clothes” which birthed the famous phrase “The King is walking naked” continues to be a metaphor for hypocrisy, and the power of speaking truth to authority. If this can not be attributed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, it must not be attributed to anyone else judging from his current awkward style of governance and how he is still being venerated by his supporters even though it isn’t worth it.
IT IS CLEAR that the current Legal Advisor to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is in dire need of an advisor or the president isn’t heading himself on the right trajectory. The repeated vivid legal lapses under this administration, under the guise of oversight by the legal team, have brought the presidency to public disrepute.
THE RECENT STRING of circumstances ranging from the unconstitutional appointments and judicial rulings against the administration in the tenure position saga, highlights a pattern of incompetence. From the improper assets recovery taskforce that wrongfully seized vehicles, only to be reprimanded by the court for their actions, to the outrageous decision to dismiss an abuse case against Liberia Culture Ambassador Juli Endee without due process, it is evident that the Legal Advisor’s office is in disarray.
MAYBE WE MUST also consider that this is not the Boakai Liberians expected. Until after his inauguration, Liberians grew more hope especially when he reemphasized his commitment through the phrase: “There will be no more business as usual.” However, it has become visible to believe that it’s more of a displeasing copy and paste from past governments, while Weah remains Boakai’s blueprint. His supporters have even been left with no other option but to argue that “Weah did it”, even though Liberians voted for change.
ANYWAY, WE JUST got reminded that even Ellen did it. With the President’s recent unbelievable decision, we reminded ourselves that In early May 2009, former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf gave a 24-hour ultimatum to all Commissioners at the Liberian Telecommunication Authority (LTA) to tender in their resignation or be sacked, saying that they contributed to the 2008/09 budget shortfall.
THIS DECISION CAME after the former president told the commissioners and employees of the entity at the time that they delayed revenue generation at the LTA for almost 18 months. Flowing this, Madam Sirleaf also reconstituted a new Board ofCommissioners of the LTA.
CONSPISCOUSLY, ON JUNE 5, 2020, former president George Weah suspended the Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Ivan G. Brown for time indefinite with immediate effect (Without pay).
AN EXECUTIVE MANSION release noted that Brown was suspended for administrative reasons including his conspiratorial and unethical activities as chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority. The suspended LTA Chairman was advised to turn over all properties of the Authority in his possession and he was replaced with an Acting Chairperson as President Boakai did recently.
LIKE MADAM SIRLEAF and ex-President George Weah, on April 26, 2024, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., suspended, with immediate effect, Madam Edwina C. Zackpah, Mr. Israel Akinsanya, Mr. Zotawon D. Titus, Mr. James Gbarwea, and Mr. Osborne K. Diggs, Chairperson and Commissioners respectively of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority for allegations of questionable financial transactions and other malpractices at the Authority.
THE PRESIDENT REQUESTED a comprehensive audit of the LTA by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to investigate the allegations at the Authority. On the other hand, the President appointed a Board of Commissioners of the same individuals whose appointments were disregarded by the Supreme Court.
MINUTES AFTER THE LTA Commissioners’ suspension, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., also suspended, Mr. Garrison Yealue, Chairperson, and Madam Elizabeth Dorkin, Commissioner of the Governance Commission with immediate effect for activities inconsistent with the Act creating the institution.
LIKE SEVERAL OTHERS, we are still concerned as to whether the President didn’t know about the allegations of questionable financial transactions and other malpractices at the LTA, as well as activities inconsistent with the Act creating the GC exhibited by Mr. Garrison Yealue, Chairperson, and Madam Elizabeth Dorkin, before the time the government was dragged to the supreme court by these individuals.
AMID ALL OF these, if not himself, we are now convinced that the President’s legal advisor needs an advisor. We believe that suspending holders of tenure positions just when they have won you through legal process is the wrong way of doing the wrong thing and a clear symptom of a witch hunt.
IT WOULD NEVER be anything strange for the President to understand that the people of Liberia deserve a government that operates with honesty and considers inclusiveness. The Legal Advisor and those close to the President must also be reminded that their loyalty lies not with the President, but with the law and the people they serve.
IF IT IS how many have characterized it (witch-hunting), Mr. Boakai needs to change his strategy. As scores of world leaders and great minds have emphasized, German Chancellor Angela Merkel once spilled her opinion on the issue of witch hunts in governance. “Witch-hunts in any form are not acceptable in a modern society. We must uphold the principles of justice and fairness for all.” Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India’s independence movement, famously said, “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Witch-hunts only serve to divide and oppress, rather than unite and uplift.”
MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT will it cause your administration if you allow those who currently occupy tenure positions to exhaust the remaining years they have? These are all Liberians. Our International partners are watching closely. Besides, you might not be interested in another term as President but the Unity Party (UP) will remain around.
AS WE ARE all aware, you (President Boakai) narrowly won former President George Weah in November’s run-off poll, with 50.64 percent of the vote to 49.36 percent. Therefore, we need no one to inform us that the state is divided and needs reconciliation than the elementary witch-hunting decisions we have witnessed over the last few months.
“WE SEE HARD times, we see dysfunctioning… we see corruption in high and low places. And (it’s) in these and similar conditions that we have come to the rescue.” Mr. President, you made these statements at your swearing-in ceremony and we are holding you by this and also admonishing you to abstain from practices that have the proclivity to undermine our stability. You must ensure that the actual plights of Liberians are addressed.
MR. PRESIDENT, DENYING the immediate past president access to the only presidential VIP Longe constructed during his tenure was horrible, dismissing dozens of Liberians, especially EPS agents due to their alignment with the former ruling CDC is troubling, and going after Liberians with tenure positions even after you were slapped in the face by the Supreme Court is worrisome like many of the horrific decisions you have taken to satisfy your political interest.
AS FAR AS we are concerned, Liberia is regrettably behind other smaller African countries in almost every sector. After ex-President George Weah’s six years of governance, Liberians weren’t pleased with how things unfolded and it was from this background you are where you are today. We anticipate the best of you!
