By Stephen N. Tokpah
-Bong (freelance)
The administration of the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Central Bong County, has distanced itself from media reports linking the institution’s Director General, Arthur Bob Karnuah, of witch-hunt against some staff of the institute.
It was recently reported in some media outlets that Dr. Karnuah has hatched secret plans to dismiss staffs who were recruited under the administration of former Officer-In Charge, Paulette Findley, with whom he had an adversarial relationship.
But speaking to the media, the Deputy Director of Communications and Public Relations at CARI, Obe Smith, described the report as absolutely false, misleading and intended to injure the significant gains made by the institution since the ascendancy of Dr. Karnuah spanning about a month.
According to Smith, since Karnuah assumed the role as Director General of CARI he has instituted several measures that now set the nation’s only agricultural research institute on a path to its pre-war status when it was rated amongst the premium agriculture research institutes in the sub region.
He told journalists that administrative measures being instituted by the Director-General include actions against lateness or abandonment of work, the holding of regular departmental meetings to garner views for the institution’s growth and development.
“Dr. Karnuah has strongly emphasized on staff unity for the common good of the institution, reminding them that he will entertain no gossips or engage into witch-hunt,” he added; “Dr. Karnuah as one of the best research scientists in Liberia, came at the top of the vetting process which was executed by both national and international experts before his recommendation to the President for appointment in line with the act establishing the institute.”
According to Smith, the alleged report published or aired on community radio stations in the county without hearing the side of the institution will not distract the current administration that has commenced a major process of ensuring that agriculture, which is a major pillar of the ARREST agenda is promoted and its goal achieved.
The CARI Deputy Director of Communications and Public Relations therefore, warned individuals to desist from spreading erroneous information about the institute when they made no effort to solicit facts about the current state of affairs at the institute.