MONROVIA: The Secretary General of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Jefferson Tamba Koijee, has accused the government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai of engaging in acts that target its political opponents and other ordinary citizens.
Mr. Koijee told a recent news conference in Monrovia that such acts, to some extent, caused the loss of lives of some people, allegedly at the behest of some state security personnel. He did not elaborate.
He also accused President Boakai and his government of facilitating the repeated infiltration with officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), into the National Headquarters of the former ruling CDC, which is situated in Congo Town, near Monrovia.
The CDC Secretary General indicated that the repeated infiltration into the CDC headquarters is being carried out by state security personnel in the name of confidence-building patrol as well as the enforcement of search and seizure warrant just in a space of one month.
According to him, as a result of these provocative actions, ordinary Liberians lost their properties and others got seriously injured. “That is not what the Liberian people signed up for,” he stressed.
Koijee: “These are the undemocratic vices that underpinned the previous civil war in this country and the scars of those moments are still fresh in the minds of Liberians. We know what happened when certain political parties and stakeholders were targeted.”
The CDC top official also told the news conference that the Unity Party led Government is nurturing what he characterized as “ugly movements” that Liberians do not wish to be reminded about.
The CDC SG claims that while the dust remains unsettled concerning the police actions, President Boakai is “weaponizing” the courts against the CDC and other political stakeholders.
Mr. Koijee said the Liberian legal system is fast becoming inundated with “political maneuverings” including the manipulation of the case involving owners of the property the CDC currently occupies as its Headquarters, for the purpose of evicting the Party from the property.
Mr. Koijee characterized the alleged decision by the Boakai Administration to manipulate the court system against the CDC as “counterproductive and tantamount to fermenting anarchy or chaos” in the country.
Koijee strongly called on the International Community and development partners to caution the government to adhere to the rule of law, promote peace and security.
Additionally, the CDC SC stated that President Boakai has “deceptively” told the World at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States of America (USA) that his government is committed to upholding the rule of law and respecting political freedoms, when the realities back home contradict the President’s assertions to the UNGA.
Koijee: “President Boakai told UNGA that his government is committed to upholding the rule of law and political freedoms.”
But, contrary to the President’s statements, Koijee added: “Liberians are being dismissed from their jobs simply because they belong to a political party.”
The CDC SG asserted that the Unity Party came to power on the pedestal of rescuing Liberia from its nearly two centuries of backwardness but instead it has, at the pace of lightning, metamorphosed into a risky mission.
He further alleged the Government demonstrates tenets of bad governance, widespread looting of state coffers, killing, weaponizing the judiciary against opposition political parties and, surreptitious and unlawful alteration of national budget “to serve the political interest of the President” while critical national sectors remain abandoned.
He stated that in June of this year, the National Legislature passed the National Budget with strategic recommendations.
The nation’s main opposition political party indicated that the national budget was altered allegedly by the President’s office through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning before it was printed into a handbill.
He added that lawmakers later discovered that the budget document was altered with the amount of US$20 million moved to other places not initially considered without the acquiescence of the National Legislature, something which he said, contravenes the laws of the country.
He maintains that unlawful alternation of the national budget is criminal and it signals brazen disregard for the country’s governance structure that gives the National Legislature the legal authority to deal with the allocation of funds in the National Budget.
He continued: “It also points to potential corruption at the peril of national development efforts that would benefit the citizenry.
“This is very concerning and the CDC is demanding accountability,” he further told the news conference.
Koijee: “While civil servants are endeavoring to feed their families and pay school fees for their children, President Boakai is carrying US$100,000.00 on his credit card just for entertainment alone;
“This is why all the President’s trips have not yielded any tangible benefits because his government is on a merrymaking expedition with no regard for the plight of the Liberian people.”
On the President’s elaborate entertainment funds, the CDC SG raised eyebrows on the recent off-budget expenditures reported by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFPA) which, revealed several controversial expenses by the UP-led government from January to August 2024. “Under one year, state resources are bearing the brunt of wonton looting.
Koijee pointed out that the Liberian government allocated US$2,307,609 for “unexplained miscellaneous” expenses and US$2.5 million for covert operations through the National Security Agency (NSA). The House of Representatives spent US$1.5 million on special sessions, while the Senate expended US$812,612 for similar purpose.
He bemoans that the astronomical amounts being spent outside of the budget leaves much to be desired for a struggling nation like Liberia under a government that promised to offer the Liberian people better leadership and governance.
“It is sad that the government, under the leadership of President Boakai is spending millions of US Dollars on covert operations like the country is in danger especially when hospitals and schools are in dire straits for support,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Liberian government has yet to react to the opposition CDC’s claims. Writes Linda Gbartie
