CDC Critiques UP Govt. -Opposes Assets Recovery; Employment Policy, Others

MONROVIA: Delivering a message of his Standard Bearer, the Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) former City Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee named the new Chairman of his party as Janga Kowo to ensure smooth party operations and maintenance of a strong leadership structure pending the next convention and bashed at the Unity Party Government of President Joseph N Boakai it is not Boakai’s personal enterprise.

Legal team to prosecute Govt.

Koijee reminded the government that the CDC was putting together a legal team to defend the rights of those who suffer injustices and killings under the Boakai administration, pointing to the “Kinjor massacre by Mr. Boakai who is yet to say a word about these murders because death means nothing to him.”

He said President Boakai instead of protecting the lives of the citizens, he has a commitment to seeing people murdered so the President remains completely unbothered with all the happenings, but warned, “We are coming!”

In his usual charismatic way of speaking to his fellow partisans punctuated with applause and slogans, Koijee criticized the government and blamed every industrial death on the system in recent times. He named the Bea Mountain situation, the Josephus Tugbeh killing by some police and workers of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) in Caldwell and another alleged death in New Kru Town which he blamed on officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement (LDEA).

Pres. Weah’s Protection

The former Monrovia City Mayor also warned government to provide some 25 officers of the Executive Protection Service requested by the CDC’s Standard bearer, former President George Manneh Weah, stating that failure on the part of government to provide the former President this level of protection will lead the CDC to providing protection to their political leader.

Mr. Koijee threatened that if the request is not fulfilled, the CDC would take matters into their own hands to protect the standard bearer and former present but warned that if they are pushed to that level, President Boakai will not have any opportunity to work from his executive Mansion office.

Koijee maintained that the party would, at such time, organize a national protection day for President Weah, during which Mr. Boakai would be expected to work from home rather than the Executive Mansion.

The opposition party, he said, is action-oriented and will not shy away from ensuring former President Weah’s safety, warning further against any attempts to undermine the former president’s security and promised to protect him until the party feels comfortable that he is well-secured.

Asset Recovery Opposition

On the party’s opposition to assert recovery, the CDC Secretary General stated categorically clear that the party has instructed that any attempt for Mr. Boakai to violate the Constitution “will be met with stiff resistance,” pointing to the asset recovery policy as one of such violations that his party will resist.

“The CDC sees this as total nonsense and none of its officials can submit to it.  Tell Mr. Boakai, we will take it to his door stairs. He will be greeted by his door stairs. And let Mr. Boakai know that not even a chicken of the CDC can submit to that reckless arrangement,” Koijee defiantly exclaimed.

He promised that the CDC will give the government what this country requires, stating, “We openly defy you, even with boldface, we say back to you, that what you term asset recovery is a reckless arrangement.

“These mickey-mouse characters you place over there – let them be informed that they fall short of everything that has to do with seriousness. Not even a chicken of the CDC will give it a courtesy,” he emphasized.

Kiojee reiterated that President Boakai should not ask for something that the government cannot contain so early, and pointed out, “We can tell you we will not fall short to give you what you requested”   According to Mr. Koijee, “We don’t make words, we come here to tell you that the Liberian people have given you a piece of job to do. Focus on that job.”

Concerning the establishment of the War & Economic Crime Court, the CDC spokesman said his party is in support of that venture. “I want to publicly say to you, Mr. Boakai, we welcome the establishment of the War Crime Court, and you have our full support on that.  For the establishment of an Economic Crime Court, we welcome you on that. If you establish the Economic Crime Court here, you can have us here, and we will go in consonance with that,” he said.

Cleaning of bloated payrolls

However he called the cleaning of payroll declared by government Ministries and agencies including specifically the National Port Authority (NPA) a Civil Service Agency as a witch-hunt. “Mr. Boakai, we want to say to you that [regarding] a careless witch-hunt which you are doing at job places, we are calling on CDCians to resist them.

“Never again, we will announce a popular sit-in here to all government agencies; if you keep chasing our people; if you disturb innocent Liberians, if we come against for instance what happened at Freeport,” he said.

He referred to the Managing Director at the Freeport “a little boy called Dukuly” who he said   needs to watch out. He needs to stop. He is a young man.  Sometimes we do not develop the fortitude to go after young people. But if you engage in practical madness at Freeport, [and other agencies of government], you need to be aware that there are two rights in this country.

He told the audience “all of you government appointees, that Boakai has the right to appoint you, we have the right to remove you; and we don’t seek permission to remove you. So you can line up your police, your armed forces, we will tell you we understand the history,” he said, emphasizing amidst applause from partisans that “Boakai can appoint you and we can remove you. Stop it because you are a young man. I understand you permanently reside in the US. Continue your safari don’t be dubbed’.

“And to you CDCians, I say unto you, have no fear about them; the government is not Boakai’s personal enterprise.  We defy you, Mr. Boakai, any CDCian in these agencies that are tampered with, we will instruct them to move in. And I can tell you, get prepared to deploy police at every government agency. If you venture here and you think you have an opportunity to preside and that opportunity can be described as a witch-hunt on innocent Liberians you are sadly mistaken.” He warned, assuring that the President will be brought on what he called his “bent less knees”

Meanwhile he welcomed the institution of leadership of the CDC Legislative Caucus, and stated that the Caucus will henceforth follow the objectives of the CDC. He said moving forward, the Caucus shall work in consultation with all of our party.  “To all of our legislators, you will not work in isolation of this party. You either tell us what side you stand in history as there will be no mistaken incident here. If this happens, we will separate you at a very early age. You take your side and we take our side. That’s why we congratulate Nathaniel Falloh McGill for his leadership as the National Caucus Chair for the National Coalition for Democratic Change,” Koijee warned.

 

You can’t dismiss Any EPS Officer

Similarly Koijee used the occasion to warn the Director of the Executive Protection Service (EPS), Mr. Sam Gaye to stop what he referred to as

Threats against some EPS officers with dismissal from the service, stating that the EPS director lacks authority to dismiss anyone; or “we will get you busy very soon.”

He pointed out that those who are facing the alleged threats were trained by the state; indicating that the government invested in them and Director Gaye cannot be appointed to the service to threaten them!

“Because you narrowly won the election you think we should dance to the whims and caprices of Mr. Boakai? That must stop NOW,” he said.

In a related development, Jefferson Koijee said his CDC is awaiting the court to proceed with protection of tenure officials, saying, “We had initially planned to send our partisans to take over all Tenure Agencies, hoping you would have sent your police there and then we will all have a spoken language,” her further threatened

However he said the CDC have held back because the court has intervened, and that they will wait until a decision is reached.

“It’s your personal decision to sleep but to think that winning the Presidency gives you absolute powers,  you’re mistaken because we are here,” he said.

He then bashed the chief executive officer of the Spoon Network, Mr.   Stanton Witherspoon, who he said is “a composition of falsification.”

Noted that Stanton Witherspoon, a man who is a composition of falsification always says I refer to myself as “Being Here,” and of course we’re here, born here and where do you expect us to go,” he asked, stating it that it is only you Stanton who will will be changing your position very soon to Jail.

In another development, Koijee intimated that the CDC will protect its partisans nationwide due to wave of insecurities under the Boakai administration, saying, “We are very concerned about the wave of insecurity in the country under Mr. Boakai.

“We like to say to our people in the various communities, the CDC will provide security for you in your different communities. We have worked throughout the fifteen counties and modalities have been worked out, we won’t announce the numbers for security persons, but when are faced with any situation just place a call and we will move in without delay,’ he implored his partisans in a fashion that suggests the incitement of insecurity in the country.

Concerning the election of leadership of a CDC legislative Caucus, Koijee announced the party’s support of the caucus but advised that the caucus shall not work in isolation of the Party. “We also want to announce to you that the party recognizes the CDC Legislative Caucus’ election, and so Nathaniel Falloh McGill is recognized by this party.”

CDC has new chairman

He also announced the resignation of Party Chairman Mulbah Morlu, the acceptance of the resignation and the appointment of a new Chairman pending party convention.  “We also want to bring to your attention that after a deep consultation with our institutional parties of the Congress for Democratic Change by the Coalition’s Standard Bearer Mr. President. Dr. George Manneh Weah … be made aware of that Party Chairperson, Compatriot Mulbah K. Morlu’s resignation, and we’ve come to announce to you that the party has unanimously accepted his resignation.

Notwithstanding, he said, we want to allow you to be informed that the new leadership to be announced has been instructed to determine a day when former Chairman Morlu will be bestowed the highest honor of the day.

The Party Secretary indicated that Morlu will be the only Liberian  who will be the lifelong executive committee member of CDC without voting, noting that he has the privilege to enter the National Executive meeting and that the party will decorate him at a date to be set up by his successor.

“The next leadership will name very important people and the chairman will be first amongst equals to be decorated and appreciated for his longstanding services to this party. This is to tell you that we are not insensitive, we appreciate people. So those of you who are harboring wishful thinking that the CDC is in crisis are doom preachers,” he said.

He then announced Augustin Janga Kowo, a former Chair of the party to fill the vacancy left but Morlu’s resignation.

Comments are closed.