The wife of Liberia’s 20th President, Nancy Bohn Doe, has expressed frustration over the government’s action of allegedly refusing to pay over US$18 million accrued in benefits and pensions among others she deserves as the former first lady of this country.
Mrs. Doe is on records for winning all of her cases brought against the government at the Commercial Court in Liberia and ECOWAS Court in Abuja, Nigeria; something that the government through the Ministry of Justice has publicly admitted to in recent time.
“We are trying to put the past behind and move ahead with our lives as a family. At 70 now, I am no longer in politics. I am a mother of the nation who is appealing to the President,” she assured.
However, the former first lady is contending that since both courts rendered judgments in her favor, the current government is yet to make any settlement which is causing mental anguish to her children and herself.
Appearing on the Ok FM Morning Rush on yesterday, August 4 in Monrovia, Madam Doe flanked by her two daughters, Veronica Mamie Doe and Karpy Doe, expressed optimistic of receiving benefits for the late President Samuel Kanyon Doe but stressed, “I am surprised with the manner and form I am being treated as a former first lady by the government.”
Mrs. Doe wondered why the government is settling payment of Lebanese nationals and others who it is indebted to but has blatantly refused to make settlement of the Doe’s family benefits which is a legally binding obligation on the state.
She reflected how along with former first lady Nettie Blah and another lady, they met with President Weah after his inauguration in early 2018 and took photos with him but since then, there has been no other contact with him.
The former first lady talked about her husband’s personal saving account with the International Trust Company called (ITC) now presently the International Bank (IB) but regrettably, the bank is yet to provide any explanation.
She then paid tribute to the former President, Charles Ghankay Taylor, who according to her invited her back home in 1998 and treated her like a former first lady despite he led the rebellion against her husband.
“When I came home, it was Taylor who made me to understand that I have the right to claim my husband’s benefits and all other entitlements in accordance with the law. While in the country during the time, Taylor paid my hotel bills; he restored my benefit of US$1,000 monthly as pension and I must admit I am grateful to him,” Madam Doe expressed.
About life after the death of her husband almost 30 years now, Mrs. Doe among many things, stated that it has been so difficult for her in particular and the Doe’s family in general; mainly the children who were at tender ages when their father was captured and killed on Sunday, September 9, 1990.
Mrs. Doe said whenever it is Decoration Day, a day set aside to memorialize the dead, she always shed tears because her husband does not have a gravesite to go and remember their dead as her quest is that if only she knew where his remains were so that she could rebury him appropriately.
About the April 12, 1980 coup, she said she knew nothing about it but what she can really remember was that on the Friday of April 11 in 1980, that evening, her husband told her how he and his friends were going somewhere that night but did not disclose the location.
“Samuel never told me where he and his friends including Thomas Quiwonkpa were going that night until the next morning at about 6:00 A.M. when I was informed about Tolbert’s death. He left the house predawn,” she recalled.
On the issue of peace and reconciliation in the country, Mrs. Doe called for a united Liberia instead of divisiveness which in her words, will not help to develop the country and move it forward; writes Throble K. Suah