By Precious D. Freeman
The National Teachers’ Association of Liberia (NTAL) has impeached members from the Representative Council for signing the vote of no confidence which contravenes their constitution.
Those that were impeached include: the public school Principal’s Representatives, Ericson W. Boakai, the Non-Teaching Staff Representatives, Daniel Darba and Alberta Fagans Coker, and the past immediate president, Margaret H. Flomo.
Speaking at a press conference called by the 15 counties’ president at the NTAL offices in Sinkor, the president for Nimba County, Henry N. Teah clarified that the Secretary General, Samuel Y. Johnson was not suspended unilaterally rather he was suspended for time indefinite by the Representative Council (RC) for defying the Council for which he was warned several times and suspended twice.
He added that Mr. Johnson was suspended for time indefinite for undermining, degrading and disrespecting authorities, coupled with other dismaying attitudes to the RC and other administrative personnel
Teah explained that by the vote of no confidence passed, the vice president of the Southeastern Region (Maryland, Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, Rivergee and Grand Kru Counties), Brown K. Bardee and the vice president for the North Central Region (Lofa, Nimba, Bong, Margibi and Rivercess Counties) James K. Miller, all counties that they represent are impeached by the Council.
According to him, the Private School Representative, Johnson was also expelled for falsely accusing the national president of the NTAL, Mary W.M. Nyumah for signing a contract agreement with the Ministry of Education to extend the contracts with Bridge Liberia to continue with the partnership agreement for the next two academic years which he could not prove for over a period of six months given to him by the RC.
He maintained that on several occasions, when asked by the Council to produce his evidence against the National president of the NTAL, he alleged that the source of his information from the Ministry of Education died during the period but did not make his name known to the Council.
Mr. Teah stated further that the allegation levied by some National Executive Council members that Mrs. Nyumah withdrew L$ 625, 000 from the Association’s account is false and misleading and from the deepest part of the devil’s belly.
“All financial transactions are executed according to financial best practices that are strictly adhered to by the administration, and withdrawal of monies from the NTAL accounts is done by the president, secretary general and the national treasurer who are signatories to the association’s account,” he clarified.
He noted that NTAL is governed by its characters, constitution, bylaws and standing rules stated in Article 1, section 4, adding that the decision to cast a vote of no confidence does not lie in the power of the National Executive Committee but through the Teachers, Education Workers and County Presidents who represent all NTAL members locally.
President Teah also indicated that the issue of causing the audit report by Secretariat is the responsibility of the Finance Committee and not the president, according to article 4, section 2, paragraph 2 which, reads that the Finance Committee shall cause the accounts of the NTAL to be audited.
Meanwhile, the 15 county presidents of NTAL are therefore asking all agencies, ministries, international and local partners and the Government of Liberia not to do business with any of these suspended and impeached individuals of the NTAL, until otherwise.
