Bassa youths seek Ellen’s intervention

A newly established group under the banner “Mandate for Change” is calling on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to intervene immediately and resolve the ongoing standoff in Grand Bassa County. The aggrieved Bassa citizens, who gathered at the Buchanan Administration office in a peaceful manner in demand of Superintendent Etweda Cooper’s immediate resignation, also accused the superintendent of embezzling over US$ 200,000 allotted to the county’s Ebola fight.

“Mandate for Change” leader Isaac Levi Flomo, has expressed concern about the rapidly deepening state of affairs in Grand Bassa, especially in the wake of the government’s declared state of emergency and subsequent curfew.

Flomo said the MFC does not support acts of violence, stressing that it was necessary that President Sirleaf swiftly intervenes in the ongoing standoff in the county before it goes off hand.

According to a statement issued in Monrovia Thursday, the group also expresses willingness to initiate a peaceful dialogue between the aggrieved Bassa Citizens and other concerned parties to restore peace.
It calls on the Government to immediately make public outcome of police investigation launched recently into the mysterious murder of a youth at ELWA Junction, which led to the suspension of seven police officers linked to the incident.

“Mandate for Change” also challenged religious leaders in the country to reject attempts by President Sirleaf to use the current Ebola fight to exercise emergency powers in muzzling freedom of religion in the country.

It warns the Liberian Legislature not to grant additional powers to the President, saying the Liberian people are apprehensive that such extra powers could be used against the survival of the Liberian people in the absence of detailed explanation why she needs such excessive authority.