Boakai Selection Reportedly Stalls Induction In Lofa

By Alex Yomah
Reports emanating from Lofa County say the induction ceremony of members of the county’s local authority recently appointed by President George Manneh Weah was stalled yesterday due to misunderstandings over the selection of former Vice President Joseph Boakai’s selection to serve as Keynote Speaker.
Sources said the misunderstanding was that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had rejected the selection of Mr. Boakai on grounds that the program was squarely a government organized program while other kinsmen’s contention was that the decision was reached by the four districts’ officials.
The flare-up started when partisans at the ceremony were given the program sheets only to see that Mr. Boakai, though a prominent kinsman, had been selected to serve as guest speaker thereby terming him as an opposition placed in a ruling position.
The government officials at the program including supporters of the ruling party described Boakai’s selection as Guest Speaker for a government-owned program as a form of undermining; something the ruling party’s officials strongly rejected.
The Internal Affairs officials present said for the mere fact that the county officials would select Boakai to serve as Keynote Speaker was tantamount to undercutting the government and giving its role to a non-partisan.
Following hours of earsplitting disagreements, it was then resolved to allow Amb. Boakai make the special remarks while Superintendent William Tamba proxied for President Weah as Keynote Speaker.
Some government officials from the county in attendance included Representative George Tengbeh, Representative Thomas Fallah and the Development Superintendent as well as other stalwarts of the ruling party.