By Bill W. Cooper
The head of the Citizens Engagement Board (CEB), Madam Mary Broh and team will tomorrow face members of the House of Representatives over allegations of whipping, handcuffing and confiscating commodities reportedly belonging to sellers who have remained defiant to previous warnings to avoid selling on sidewalks.
Madam Broh and team were invited in lieu of a communication from Montserrado County District 7 Representative, Solomon George craving the indulgence of his colleagues to invite them before full plenary, the CEB to state its mandate or Terms of Reference (ToR) following series of allegations from several Liberians concerning the constant violation of their rights.
Rep. George in his communication read in session, Thursday, December 2, among other things stressed, “We write on behalf of the people who we represent, appealing to this plenary to invite the entire leadership of the Citizens Engagement Board of Liberia to come and explain the mandate given it; if it extends to the destruction of properties and violation of our people’s rights, and whipping or flogging of these people to the extent of handcuffing and imprisoning them.”
The District 7 lawmaker who is said to be representing one of the densely populated Districts in Montserrado also accused Madam Broh and team of destroying residents’ properties as well as seizing their commodities worth US$4.7 million in the name of cleaning the city.
Rep. George added, “In some instances, our peaceful citizens and residents are also being severely flogged, handcuffed and sent to prison on the order of Broh, and these are no make-up stories because everything is on camera. So, I think it will be prudent enough to invite before us Broh and her team to explain reasons leading to her action.”
Backed by some of his colleagues including Lofa County District 1 Rep., Francis Nyumalin and Montserrado County District 10 Rep., Yekeh Kolubah, all condemned the action by CEB team, describing their action as an affront to struggling parents especially business women that have to sell, feed and pay their children’s school fees.
Rep. Nyumalin added, “Since the CEB began operations, there have been disturbing images making rounds on social media of people being manhandled on the order of the former major and I think this does not augur well for our country amidst the prevailing economic hardship.”
For his part, Rep. Kolubah welcomed the call to invite the CEB and called on his colleagues to also see the need and invite the Liberia National Police (LNP) Inspector General, Patrick Sudue over the alleged manhandling of protesting students of the University of Liberia recently.
It can be recalled, the CEB was constituted by the Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee at the beginning of October of this year to lead what has become the herculean task of giving Monrovia a facelift for the festive season, and the 2022 Bicentennial celebration.
Mayor Koijee during his press conference held then appointed Madam Mary Broh who is also the Director General of the General Service Agency (GSA), to head the 14-member committee for the task.
Making remark following her appointment, Madam Broh lauded the youthful Mayor for the confidence reposed in her to lead the 14-man team, and vowed, “The CEB will work with the City Government of Monrovia in preparing Monrovia for this year-end holiday and the impending 2022 Bicentennial Commemoration as well as provide advice for the Urban Renewal Initiatives.”
Madam Broh stated further that using existing community structures, the CEB will work through task teams and community leaders to implement an accelerated action plan to carry out massive cleaning up of the streets, neighborhoods, public places, beaches, waterfronts, cemeteries and drainages in Monrovia.
She also announced that over 1000 community residents will benefit from short term hire services; promising that, “Monrovia City will be beautified and decorated with an effective community-based mechanism coordinated for sustained long term sanitation and urban planning. Disorganized street-selling and makeshift structures that deface the outlook of the city will be addressed.”
The GSA boss then called for the full participation of the Montserrado County Superintendent, Madam Florence Brandy, as well as Chairman and members of the Montserrado County Legislative Caucus, township commissioners and tribal governors, and community leaders, as well as other service delivery ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Public Works, the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, the Liberia Electricity Corporation, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Disaster Management Agency to join the campaign.
Furthermore, since her appointment, Madam Broh and her team have been seen in several parts of Monrovia vigorously trying to give Monrovia the intended face-lift ahead of the festive season.