The Eminent Chairman of the All-Liberian Conference on Dual Citizenship (ALCOD), Emmanuel S. Wettee, has weighed in on the ongoing debate about diaspora Liberians now leaving their bases in the US, Europe, and other places, flocking to Liberia to seek jobs from the incoming administration of President-elect, Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
President-elect Boakai is poised to ascend to the nation’s Presidency on January 22, 2024, after which he will definitely make some new appointments of Liberians in his administration.
While this is yet to happen, some Liberians, especially those on ground in Liberia, have begun to alarm that only qualified Liberians presently residing in Liberia should be the ones appointed to governmental posts, and not Liberians living in the diaspora.
According to Eminent Wettee, among those local Liberians’ unfounded concerns is that diaspora Liberians, especially those with dual citizenships, will not be loyal to the government and people of Liberia.
“This argument is made about diaspora Liberians only when the issue of government or private jobs in Liberia is discussed. Outside of jobs, local Liberians see all diaspora Liberians as Liberians irrespective of them having dual citizenships or not. This is the duplicity that has negatively impacted national development and growth.
The remittances from diaspora Liberians are in fearless competition with direct foreign investments in Liberia. The knowledge, education, skills, and experiences of some diaspora Liberians with dual citizenship surpass that of foreign expatriates, who are paid using taxpayers’ money.”
Wettee told journalists recently that the Liberian laws equally guarantee the rights of all qualified Liberians, whether presently residing in Liberia or outside, the privilege of working in government, if and when given the opportunity to serve.
“The number is countless, if counts were made on those Liberians with only Liberian citizenship that are involved in corruption, including but not limited to those selling in the markets, operating transportation vehicles, kehkeh drivers, local businesspeople, educators, police, and land sellers. Land sellers sell one land to more than one person; this attribute has nothing to do with one’s citizenship but character,” he stated
Wettee also said that the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections witnessed a huge participation of diaspora Liberians in Liberia, in addition to their financial resources.
He disclosed that diaspora Liberians also actively participated in the nation’s body politics, mainly on Spoon Talk, Focus on Liberia (FOL), and the Closing Argument. “Views expressed on these platforms influenced how people participated and voted in the 2023 elections,” he added.
“Political parties, including Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Unity Party (UP), Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Liberian People’s Party (LPP), and others, got financial support from their diaspora memberships. About 5,000 Liberians from the diaspora with dual citizenship voted in the just-ended 2023 elections,” Eminent Wettee said.
According to the Eminent, when it was time to canvass for votes during the elections, the issue of diaspora Liberians having dual citizenship was not considered or mentioned, stating, “Now that the elections are over and a new government is about to take over leadership, the issue of loyalty to Liberia is becoming an issue. It is now Diaspora Liberians vs Local Liberians.”
The dual citizenship law signed by President George Manneh Weah on July 22, 2022, guarantees the right of diaspora Liberians with dual citizenship/nationality to seek or be appointed to government positions, ranging from ministers, deputies and assistants, and directors, to ambassadors, enterprises, corporations, educational institutions, and more.
However, there are limited and reasonable restrictions on certain governmental positions as compared to others dual citizenship laws in West African countries, like Ghana, Nigeria, or Sierra Leone.
Since President Weah signed the law on July 22, 2022, diaspora Liberians with dual citizenship can vote, travel to Liberia without a visa by using their Liberian passport, and a child born by a Liberian mother is a citizen of Liberia at birth and more.
