Boakai in to US$2m scandal?

Ahead of the October Presidential and Representative Elections, the governing Unity Party Standard Bearer, Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai is being linked to various alleged financial scandal with the latest coming from one of his kinsmen and political opponent, Nathaniel Blamah.

Mr. Blamah, chairman of little known Liberia National Union or LINU, claims Vice President Boakai, who worked in the government of slain President Samuel Kanyon Doe, was dismissed for alleged US$2 million that was entrusted in his care, but could not be accounted for.

According to him, the late President Doe took the decision after an Executive Mansion investigation proved Ambassador Boakai failed to account for the US$2 million invested in the Ministry of Agriculture, which headed the late President’s “Green Revolution” program.

Speaking to this paper on Thursday, July 6, at his party headquarters in Sinkor, Monrovia the LINU boss calls on Vice President Boakai to respond to the allegation or else, it could dampen his chances for the Presidency.

Recently, the Standard Bearer of the Change Democratic Action, and founder of ADA LAP, Wendell McCintosh accused the Vice President of receiving US$100,000 bribe on behalf of lawmakers on Capitol Hill, a claim the governing Unity Party denies.

However, Chairman Blamah also alleges that V.P. Boakai was asked to resign as Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC) during the former Interim Government of National Unity headed by Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer for unexplained reasons, and wonders why the Vice President, whom his supporters portray as being blameless, would have public service records marred by suspicions.

He encourages Dr. Sawyer to explain reasons that led to relieving Amb. Boakai of his post at the LPRC. “I think the best option is for the Vice President to explain to the Liberian people himself, because those that are putting up defenses were not on the scene. These are allegations that need clarification,” Mr. Blamah stresses.

But when the head of the campaign group, National Movement for Boakai, Mr. Robert Kpadeh was contacted via mobile on the allegation, he terms the information as a piece that is intended to mix historical facts with myths.

According to him, Mr. Blamah is seeking political relevance at the expanse of the Vice President, who had built is character over the years. Mr. Kpadeh explains that Amb. Boakai was dismissed by the late President Doe for political reason, detailing that Boakai had refused to join the National Democratic Party of Liberia, and some higher-ups in the government ensured that he was dismissed.

This paper gathered that the late President Doe launched an investigation in the scandal that revealed the names of several individuals, including the now Vice President Joseph Boakai and his Chief Accountant at the time, Mr. Foday Massaquoi.

The investigation also linked several top board members, who were kinsmen of the late Liberian leader. Mr. Foday Massaquoi was dismissed by President Doe and replaced by another employee in the account section, only identified as Mr. Allison.

Vice President Baokai and Mr. Massaquoi allegedly went in hiding for weeks before they were discovered and brought to the late Doe. According to information, President Doe developed a slow partner posture against Boakai when Massaquoi took responsibility.

Since the 1982/3 US$2m scandal, Boakai reportedly kept Mr. Foday Massaquoi in his close company as special technician and chief administrator at every institution he worked up to the Sawyer-led Interim Government of National Unity in which the UP Standard Bearer served as Manager Director for the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company.

Mr. Foday Massaquoi, as special operative of Vice President Boakai, also worked as special assistant and chief administrator for his Cocoa buying company, which was located in Cara Town around the building that currently hosts RICO Distillery on Bushrod Island just few meters away from the LPRC Compound.

Upon winning the election in 2005 as Vice President, Mr. Boakai had in his office Mr. Foday Massaquoi, his chief accountant at LPMC in the 1980s.Mr. Massaquoi is currently assigned in the offices of Vice President Boakai’s wife, Madam Kartumo Baokai at the Group of 77 in charge of special operations and projects.

By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor-Editing by Jonathan Browne