The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
June 28, 2013
When John Morlu stated that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration is three times more corrupt than the previous goverment, he was ridiculed and that was seen as the rift in not renewing his tenure as Auditor General. Nevertheless, we have seen incompetence, corruption, deliberate deception by government officials of personal assets declared, impunity and blatant embezzlement rampant in this administration. How can most government officials account for supporting their families in the United States, while maintaining a lavish lifestyle in Liberian?
Do you believe it’s solely on their Liberian salary?
Here we have a government, where the President is away from the country on personal and business engagements that should be left to a cabinet official or lower level civil servant. However, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hobnobs around the globe, at the expense of the Liberian people, pursuing her self designed interest. Interestingly, the expenses associated with these trips are so secret and never made known to the Liberian people. The public has a right to know who is paying for these escapades, and how much it cost.
Also, it is very interesting to see that when the President is not traveling the world, she is attending every cook shop(restaurant) opening, every house party and weddings, every occasion undignified of a sitting president and even attending and dedicating the opening of a convicted felon’s law firm. What message does that send?
“The fact that Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, attends and honors a convicted Felon, Jonathan Fonati Koffa's Law firm, gives the message than impunity, gangsterism, corruption and criminality are the norm of her administration and her character. For a President to honor a man who stole millions of dollars from poor innocent homeowners and the U S government to sit next to her, this woman makes Charles Taylor, a criminal gangster war lord, and Samuel Doe, a corrupt military coup leader, look like saints.” (kruboy – Heritage Newspaper Comment section story Ellen Challenges Private Lawyers, others).
What does it forebode for democracy when the President of the Republic, the number one chief enforcer of the Rule of law, which she swore to uphold, attends and honors a convicted felon? Pray tell me, where in the democracy we so treasure as an example, United States, that you will see the President a convicted felon law office. In fact, Mr. Koffa is barred from practicing law in the United States for embezzlement and should be in Liberia also. This president withdrew his appointment from a commission precisely for that reason. So is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf not in her right faculties not to understand the message and ramification this sends?
All around this administration is impunity and incompetence. It seems that the president purposely seeks and employs individuals with no ethics and integrity. Take a case in point, the Government Auditing Commission, as incompetent as Robert Kilby, who then employs his friends, and their families for jobs they know nothing about.
The Liberian newspapers and online news magazines are replete with stories of corruption, embezzlements, favoring of foreigners at the expense of Liberians, Liberians incompetence at doing simple tasks and being trustworthy to their government and fellow citizens.
What a leadership we have in Liberia? What is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s legacy? Corruption, impunity, embezzlement, incompetence? Or as her supporters would tell you she has put Liberia back on the map, worked to eliminate our debt and many other things.
I will agree that our debt have waived and in some manner, out of deference to Africa’s first female elected president, Liberia is making headlines. Nevertheless, we have seen no leadership and vision from this woman. All that is of her is world traveler and so her official emulate everything she does and are always traveling.
When has anyone accused of corruption been fully investigated and persecuted? When was the last time someone who was so incompetent at their job been fired? Instead they are reassigned. When did someone who knowingly and deliberately lied on a government document been fired and had the weight of the law against them?
This President has failed in the basics of democracy; instituting Patriotism, Nationalism, Ethics, Integrity, Competence, Responsibility, Accountability, Honesty and Vision! These are the fundamentals of any democracy, which no form of monetary unit can purchase, but emanates from within an individual. A good leader and President possesses these and look for individuals with these qualities in places others their circle and in the broad society to serve in the best interest of their country.
This President has surrounded herself with family, friends and the children of friends and family, who purpose it has seem so far is to pad their pockets with the resources of the nation as they have proven to be very corrupt, lack vision and are so incompetent.
Liberians need to think hard and be serious. The most important thing to do immediately, is have a War Crimes court to hold all those responsible for the civil war, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, included. That will start the process to accountability, responsibility, integrity and a lot more positive characteristic our society so badly need.
May God Bless Our Beloved Country, Liberia.