– Liberian Women Want Beysolow confirmed
Some Liberian women and supporters of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai have voiced their faith in his ability to make decisions and appoint qualified individuals, while also urging him to disregard the opinions of others who seek to undermine his authority and leadership. The women who spoke to this Paper believe that President Boakai ought to maintain his hard stance; otherwise, his leadership will be the worst in the annals of Liberian history.
According to the women, any attempt to withdraw the nominations or to undermine the confirmations of Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti and other competent Liberians based on what they referred to as unfounded and flimsy claims might render the president weak and compromised.
This warning from the women comes amid speculation that President Boakai is said to be under pressure from some stewards of the Unity Party to withdraw certain nominees, including Madam Nyanti, to replace them with people they think are deserving. Recently, the National Chairman of the Unity Party, Mr. Luther Tarpeh, allegedly manipulated a protest led by some members of the ruling party against President Boakai for appointing Mr. Seckou Dukuly as managing director of the Freeport of Monrovia, Mr. Tarpeh’s supposedly preferred area of placement.
The Women indicated that the internal wrangling for job placements in the Ruling Unity Party (UP) appears to be undermining President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s authority to appoint officials of his government.
Some members of the ruling Unity Party (UP) are openly questioning the credentials, competence, and appropriateness of people President Joseph Nyuma Boakai nominates for government jobs. This is seen as a threat to his authority and the Presidency of the Republic of Liberia since it calls into question the president’s judgment to appoint, which is a constitutionally assigned power.
The women’s group believes that the controversy that has surrounded Madam Sara Beysolow Nyati, who is President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s proposed Foreign Minister, has a political undertone and motivation, to undermine her confirmation thereby hampering her future political ambitions.
Since her nomination on January 24, 2024, as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Nyati has received huge criticism, interestingly, from within the inner circle of the appointing power, something political pundits have classified as a potential threat to national peace and stability.
According to them, some members of the Unity Party Political Alliance who have political aspirations for the presidency in 2029 are said to be afraid of Madam Nyanti becoming Foreign Minister because it will ultimately place her as a significant rival. This is a theory that has been put forward by some individuals. To ensure that they are the next preferred choice if Madam Nyanti’s confirmation is rejected, other members who are not preferred but who desire the position of Foreign Minister are working to undermine her confirmation.
“If powerful members of the Unity Party within the inner circle of President Boakai are the ones who publicly oppose his appointees because their preferred candidates are not nominated for a particular job, then there is a reason for fear of internal conflicts that may grossly undermine the effective functioning of government”, an analyst, who prefers anonymity, said.
Madam Sara Beysolow Nyati has faced intense opposition and hatred ever since she was nominated as the designated Foreign Minister. The Foreign Minister-designate is a highly regarded bureaucrat with international recognition. She just concluded her assignment in South Sudan, where she held the position of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres.
Some members of civil society have come in defense of Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti. One of those who believe that the Foreign Minister-designate should be given a chance is the Chairman of the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions (CEIO), Mr. Dax Elliot. On his official Facebook page, Mr. Elliot indicated that “Madam Nyanti is an international public servant with whom we are well pleased. Her impeccable history of service in various capacities of international public trust with the UN—the world’s most pivotal locus for the servicing of different political interests—imbues us with the confidence that she can bridge the gap and amply remedy the cordial relational deficit between our foreign system and the rest of the world through providing the key element in diplomacy amongst nations—trust.”
In addition, Mr. Dax Elliot addressed the 55th Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, urging them to confirm Madam Nyanti. He stated that she possesses essential qualifications that are recognized internationally and that they ought to take into consideration the possibility of her becoming Liberia’s next Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Other observers have described the actions of those questioning Madam Sara Beysolow Nyati’s credentials and competence as ridiculous and labeled them as ‘gangs of hired pens’, who do not mean well for the forward match of Liberia. According to them, because Madam Nyanti served the United Nations at a higher level and performed well, the issue of academic credentials has become mute.
“It would be the greatest historical irony if a Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs led by Senator Dillon were to disqualify Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti based on her academic credentials, even though she has demonstrated a track record of excellent performance. This is because Senator Dillon himself does not possess any academic qualifications, but is considered to be a high performer,” an analyst averred.
Many people think that Liberia does not require a large number of people with academic qualifications but rather skilled performers such as Madam Mary T. Broh, a Liberian bureaucrat who is renowned in the country for her outstanding leadership and impressive performance.
All eyes are on Capitol Hill as Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti makes her return today for a confirmation hearing that the committee abruptly postponed last week, citing security and other related reasons. Her confirmation hearing has developed a lot of public interest as it has become overly politicized.
