APM Terminals Managing Director Mr. George Adji risks being relieved of his post and subsequently deported to Ghana, as lawmakers get annoyed by his alleged instruction to reject communications coming from the House of Representatives.
During legislative session on Capitol Hill Tuesday, 4 June, ruling party Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Montserrado County Rep. Moses Acarous Gray made a motion for the APM Terminals Managing Director position to be declared vacant and Mr. Adji be given one week to leave Liberia.
Mr. Gray further suggests that APM Terminals be audited and a Liberian occupy the position of Managing Director.The House of Representatives had summoned the managements of APM Terminals and the National Port Authority (NPA) to appear before that august body to show cause why President George MannehWeah’s mandate on the cancellation of demurrage charges is not being implemented.
But the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives informed the lawmakers on Tuesday that whenever the clerical staff were asked to write APM Terminals since the 53nd Legislature began, they got stopped by security at the APM Terminals and prevented from delivering the communication to the institution.
According to the Chief Clerk, they securities claim that their boss ordered them not to accept any communication from the House of Representatives.
Based on the alleged security order at APM Terminals, the Clerk explains that they had to use Speaker Bhofal Chambers’ escort car to get the communication to company.
Appearing before the House of Representatives Tuesday, NPA Managing Director Bill Twehway explains that since he took over at the Port, he has called for document to show how much people paid for demurrage, but there has been no document to that effect.
According to Mr. Twehway, APM Terminals is not responsible for demurrage because it is the shipping line that collects demurrage fees at the Port.
Responding to issues raised by the lawmakers, APM Terminals Managing Director Mr. Adji says the company did not refuse any communication from the House of Representatives, shifting blame instead on the security at the NPA.
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However, a motion for reconsideration was filed by Montserrado County District #4 Rep. RustonlynSuacoco Dennis.Also speaking, Bomi County District #1 Rep. Edwin Melvin Snowe expressed regret ratifying the APM Terminals agreement because it is serving as an embarrassment to the economy of Liberia.
Rep. Snowe explains that the service of the APM Terminals is very poor, terming it as a punishment to the Liberian people.For his part, Montserrado County District #16 Rep. Dixon Seboe says the law should be reviewed.By Bridgett Milton–Edited by Winston W. Parley
