Two former leaders of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), resident in the United States have proffered several recommendations that the incoming Boakai-led administration would take into consideration very seriously and urgently.
Having applaud Liberians for the successful conclusion of the presidential and legislative elections on November 14, 2023, the two men said the recommendation when accepted it is hoped that it will restore Liberians and ensure that the country is getting back on the right trajectory of sustainable peace and progress.
In a press statement issued in the U.S., Messrs Gabriel I.H. Williams and Emmanuel D. Abalo observed that the country is dangerously divided or polarized due to cleavages from Liberia’s unresolved past.
According to them, very poor leadership, characterized by gross abuse of power and rampant corruption, mysterious killings and other extrajudicial actions, as well as the failure of the government to institute a process of national reconciliation, have undermined sustainable peace and progress in Liberia, resulting in growing popular discontent that led to Weah’s defeat.
Among other things, they recommend that President Boakai fulfills his campaign pledge to form a government of “national inclusion,” which should focus on the appointment of individuals with proven records of competence and integrity and not based on party loyalty or ethnicity.
Immediately upon his inauguration, President Boakai must issue an Executive Order opening a major corruption investigation of the outgoing government of President Weah.
The Boakai administration must institute swift legal actions to bar the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr. Samuel Tweah, along with other senior officials of the Finance Ministry, as well as some senior officials of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) from leaving the country.
This initial phase of the corruption investigation should also cover the Foreign Ministry, where several thousands of Liberian ECOWAS passports have allegedly been criminally sold.
Similarly, they called for Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah and Deputy Foreign Minister Thelma Duncan Sawyer, also known as Mrs. Comfort Sawyer, to be barred from foreign travel pending investigations regarding the passport scandals and other allegations of major malpractices that have occurred at the Foreign Ministry during the tenure of the Weah administration.
They maintained that those who see the process of holding former government officials accountable for their actions as a witch-hunt are on the wrong side of history.
President Weah must be called to order for his recent pronouncements that investigating officials of his government was not in the interest of the peace and stability of the country.
“It is our considered opinion that ending impunity is the only way to contain the looting of the resources of Liberia by those in power who have proven to be incapable custodians of the public trust,” the two men stated.
The said further, “those who threaten the peace and stability of Liberia would bear the full consequences for their actions, as they would be held accountable under Liberian and international laws. Mr. Weah is no exception, as no one is above the law and there is a need for Liberia to truly become a country of law and not of men.”
The incoming Boakai administration must also launch a swift investigation into the conduct of the recent electoral process to identify what went wrong, as some of the political parties have complained of foul play.
There is a serious need to review the role of the National Elections Commission (NEC), which faced public condemnation and legal actions for allegedly appearing to be in close alliance with the government of President Weah, as he sought re-election.
The NEC was established by law to serve as a credible impartial body to administer Liberia’s elections and not to be a partner in rigging elections to favor those in power.
“We also recommend that the Boakai administration hit the ground running – so to speak – by also announcing the beginning of a “process of national reconciliation”
There is a need to establish what could be called a council, committee, or an entity in line with a “Palava Hut” format that should be fully funded to begin the reconciliation process expeditiously. Liberia’s progress would continue to be snail-paced or stalled as long as the government is unable to initiate a process of national reconciliation and healing to bring Liberians together.
Meanwhile, the concluded, “we condemn the spate of violence that led to death and property destruction which characterized the electoral process. The most recent violent incident was the November 20, 2023 attack at the headquarters of the Unity Party (UP) in Monrovia which led to three deaths and 25 people seriously wounded, when a vehicle ran into revelers celebrating the UP’s presidential victory. We call for a comprehensive investigation of this heinous act and for those involved to be brought to book. Lawlessness should not continue to be tolerated in Liberia.”
The duo then congratulated Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai and Senator Jeremiah K. Koung as the President-elect and Vice President-elect of Liberia and welcomed the concession of defeat by incumbent President George M. Weah, while noting that the electoral process has exposed very deep and bitter division within Liberia.
