“President Sirleaf is creating vices that led to the 14-year civil war in Liberia, and nepotism is one of the major elements,”
Montserrado County District #7 Representative Solomon George says nepotism is a serious recipe for war, claiming that it is among vices being created by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. “President Sirleaf is creating vices that led to the 14-year civil war in Liberia, and nepotism is one of the major elements,” he alarmed. Rep. George says nepotism currently exists in the Unity Party (UP)-led government, one of the major elements or factors that triggered the long ‘senseless’ civil unrest in the country, leading to the death of thousands of innocent Liberians and the destruction of the country infrastructure and other social systems.
Representative George made the remarks recently at a constituency forum for his district, held at the Newport Junior High school on Newport Street in Monrovia.
He pointed out that the President was among other politicians who strongly spoke against nepotism in past regimes, “but today such a practice is highly being carried on in her government more than ever before.”
“Unless President Sirleaf stops the act of nepotism by appointing her relatives to high positions in government, corruption will never die in Liberia,” the lawmaker indicated.
Representative George maintained that any leader of a nation, who believes in appointing his or her relatives in government especially in key government positions, will always be in corrupt practices.
There have been calls for President Sirleaf to rescind decision of appointing two of her sons to higher positions in government. Charles Sirleaf now serves the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), and the worst was the appointment of Robert Sirleaf as board chair of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), which have sparked serious criticisms in the public. President Sirleaf claims she appointed Robert on ‘pro bono’.
However, a government official told this paper that the appointment of relatives to position does not in any way violate the constitution. “If the president’s relatives are qualified, and are citizens, they have the inalienable rights to work in government,” argued the government official, who prefers anonymity for not being the spokesperson of the President.
The CDC lawmaker accused President Sirleaf of contributing to the Liberian civil war which claimed many lives because she wanted the presidency.
According to him, “power is not the will of the people in a democratic society, but a leader who believes in his or her citizens interest must always work to ensure that their needs are addressed positively at all times.”
The Montserrado County legislator noted that many Liberians are afraid to say the truth or speaks out issues against their leaders especially when a leader went wrong against his people, adding that the truth must always be told.
“President Sirleaf must apologies to the Liberian people for some of her wrong doings, especially the appointments of her relatives to high government positions,” the Montserrado County lawmaker demanded. At the same time, Representative George has called on residents of his district not to divert any developmental project of the district.
