The Consortium of Civil Organizations in Paynesville has voiced strong support for the Monrovia City Corporation’s (MCC) decision to dismiss nine employees accused of insult President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and other government officials.
The MCC’s action, which has sparked national debate, was taken after the Director of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah Joekai, urged the corporation to terminate the employee’s service due to what he described as a “deadly social media campaign” targeting senior public officials, particularly the Presidency.
Joekai’s call to action highlighted the severity of the employees’ behavior, which he claimed had tarnished the MCC’s reputation and undermined the government’s credibility.
In a press statement issued in Monrovia over the weekend, the Chairman of the CSO group, Samuel Johnson, emphasized that while free speech is a constitutional right, it does not extend to cyberbullying or hate speech, particularly when such actions are directed at individuals in a harmful and malicious manner.
He argued that the MCC’s decision was justified and necessary to maintain the integrity and reputation of the institution and to set a clear precedent against the misuse of social media by public servants.
“Free speech is a fundamental right that we must all cherish and protect,” Johnson stated but noted, “However, there is a stark difference between expressing one’s views constructively and engaging in behavior that amounts to cyberbullying or spreading hate.”
“The actions of these employees crossed the line, and the MCC was right to take such a stand,” Johnson furthered; highlighting the importance of responsible social media use, particularly among public servants who represent governmental institutions.
He warned that failure to address such behavior could lead to a breakdown in respect for public office and harm the broader societal fabric pointing out, “Public servants have a responsibility to uphold the values of their office and to engage in discourse that is respectful and constructive.”
When individuals use their positions to engage in toxic behavior on social media, it does not only reflects poorly on them but also on the institutions they represent and so they added, “The MCC’s action, prompted by the CSA, sends a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
Activist Samuel Johnson’s support for the MCC’s decision aligns with a broader concern about the potential for social media to be misused in ways that can harm individuals and institutions alike.
However, the dismissed employees have argued that their dismissal is illegal, malicious, a witch hunt directed at persons with different political views which undermines the Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia.
The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) chairperson in the Caldwell-Chea Cheepo Road Community, Aloysius Davis, described the dismissal of Liberians from their jobs in the name of politics as wicked, “unlawful” and has no place in the young democracy of the country.
“This is shed wickedness. People are losing their jobs because of their political affiliation. It is not fair,” he alarmed, noting that the Boakai-led government is in the business of witch hunt targeting people who are from the opposition bloc.
“This is a clear manifestation that this Boakai government does not mean well for the ordinary Liberian. Boakai has directed Joekai to weed all CDCians out of the government because they did not support him,” he said, calling on the international community to intervene.
“I am a CDCian and I will support former president George Weah any time, any day. This should not be used as a measurement for my unwarranted dismissal. I thought they would be looking at our performances and output,” he surmised.
