MONROVIA – The Vanguard Student Unification Party at the University of Liberia has said it welcomes and supports the recent Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission(LACC) Report which exposes not just individuals in the menacing act of corruption but what it also called the rottenness of the CDC regime and the systemic decadence in public service under President George M. Weah, adding that “the LACC REPORT is yet again another testament to how common criminals and fortune hustlers have taken over the Liberian State”.
In a press statement issued by the UL Campus based political party, signed and approved by Jusu Kamara and Mustapha Kanneh, Secretary General and Chairman respectfully, SUP said it has been complaining about continuous wave of reports bordering on unrepentant act of corruption that engulfed several public entities, especially the Liberian Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) at the detriment of good governance and public trust as exposed by the LACC’s REPORT. “The recent LACC’s REPORT clearly opened our eyes on the high level of corruption scandal at LISGIS which all but hooked LISGIS’ Boss Prof. Francis Wreh and two of his top deputies for organized corruption for which SUP is calling for their immediate suspension or dismissal by Pres. Weah and subsequent forwarding to court for prosecution in line with the findings and recommendations of the REPORT”, the release said.
“Amongst other national pressing responsibilities, LISGIS has a vital and indispensable role of conducting the National Population and Housing Census in Liberia. However, since 2018, the Government of George Weah through LISGIS has failed to conduct the second post-war census in contrast to the constitution of the Republic of Liberia which mandates the government of Liberia to conduct census every ten (10) years, a simple task this government is demonstrating its incapability of performing; what a shame!! Such constitutional violations are amongst the many acts that have exposed the ineptitude which characterizes the poor leadership at LISGIS under President Weah.
“This unconstitutional delay has been worsened by massive corruption and ‘don’t care’ thievery that have befallen LISGIS by those responsible to provide leadership at the institution. SUP uses this medium to demand the immediate suspension or dismissal, and subsequent prosecution of Prof. Francis Wreh, Director General of LISGIS, Lawrence A. George, Sr., Deputy Director General for Administration, and Wilmot F. Smith, Jr. Deputy Director General for Information and Coordination. SUP believes that the information circulating in the public about the misuse and financial abuse of over US$ 700,000 by these individuals at LISGIS as released by the LACC Report already undermines public trust in these individuals and will further erode the integrity of the census”, the release said.
SUP noted that as if the current report of open corruption at LISGIS is not sufficient, it is so disappointing that after the investigation by the LACC, these individuals have since quadrupled their act in astronomical proportion of plundering the remaining census fundings, evident by new bank statement, in its possession, from Ecobank Liberia Limited as of Tuesday, July 5, 2022 and through one Lawrence Siah Bartee, whom the student group termed “the newly hired ‘stealing pipeline’ in the Season Two of the LISGIS corruption saga as they have deleted one Abagail T. Monboe who was Francis F. Wreh’s ‘stealing pipeline’ in Season One.
“SUP believes the bravery and willful act of Director General Francis Wreh and his colleagues in crime is anchored on the assurance of protection by Samuel D. Tweah, Jr. who is LISGIS Board Chair. The Party believes also that since this footballing President George Weah has taken no action to suspend or dismiss these individuals’ pending prosecution, plus their assured protection by Samuel Tweh, they can proceed to depleting the remaining census resources without fear”, the statement further said.
The vanguard party said in the face of this national embarrassment, it will take unspecified revolutionary actions if these criminals are not suspended pending prosecution as recommended in the LACC Report or dismissed with immediate effect. It therefore called on President Weah and Minister of Finance and Development Planning Samuel Tweah to act accordingly by dismissing “these criminals at LISGIS or be acted upon in a way never experienced before, stressing it will not rest and will go at any length to ensure a forceful action is implemented to restore the lost value of LISGIS and the Republic at large.
“In the same vein, SUP informs Pres. George Weah and his corruption-prone government that the Liberian people will not accept anything less than the comprehensive conduct of the National Population and Housing Census in 2022. SUP strongly believes that if this is not done to ascertain the proximal numbers of inhabitants in the country, George Weah and his cronies will use the absence of the conduct of the National Census as a clever attempt to steal/rig the upcoming 2023 General and Presidential Elections.
“We categorically state that any attempt by George Weah and his clique of crooks to further delay or suspend the conduct of the planned Housing Census this year (2022) will be vehemently resisted by the militants and cadres of the Vanguard Student Unification Party and with the collective resolve of the Liberian People. As the country heads toward a very crucial General and Presidential elections in 2023, the conduct and subsequent statistics from the National Housing and Population Census will play a key role in ensuring electoral transparency and fairness. Additionally, the statistics from the Census will provide information to ensure the redistricting of various districts in the political subdivisions of the country, project statistics on the voting population, and as well as aid with a comparative analysis between the voter’s roll and the voting population as well as minimize any room for political gerrymandering. We, therefore, demand the conduct of a census in 2022 and nothing more or less.
“In conclusion, as corruption and public looting take center stage in Liberia under the CDC regime, the Vanguard Party calls on the Liberian masses to remain resolute, resolve and determine as we exert every effort possible to retire this putrid leadership from our country.
We can assure our people that the dawn of economic and national revitalization will emerge soon. Weah and cronies will fast become a matter of the past”, the statement said.