Cease fire!

Citizens of Sinoe County under the banner Movement for Reconciliation and Reunification of Sinoe Citizens or MRRSIC, are calling on their lawmakers to immediately stop the war of words in the media.

In a press release issued in Monrovia Monday, 5 March the citizens call on their lawmakers to immediately refrain from bringing the county to public disrepute by insulting one another other in the media, expressing dissatisfaction over the usual confusion among the lawmakers and warn of political consequences.

They note that recent confusion among Sinoe lawmakers is not only an affront to them, but an act of deception by the lawmakers trading insults at each other.
“We elected our lawmakers to talk for us and bring development to our county but instead of receiving blessing from them we are receiving curse and national disgrace”, the release under the signature of MRRSIC executive director Rev. Joe Cheyetee Jarwleh quotes the people of Sinoe as saying.

Sinoe County legislative Senators J. Milton Teahjay, former senator Cllr. Joseph Nagbe and Representative Matthew Zarzar appear are at each other’s throats, with Sen. Nagbe claiming that it is regrettable and embarrassing for the level of time he had known Senator Teahjay and the kind defense he had built for him, only to realize later that the man he defended is nothing but ‘thieve and bad’ person.

Narrating his ordeal to this paper, Sen. Nagbe narrates that at the time he got sick and was taken to Ghana for treatment, upon his return to the country, the Liberian Senate raised about 600,000 Liberian Dollars cash as a package for him.

He alleges that the money was received by Sen. Teahjay with the understanding that it would have been taken to him in full. But Sen. Nagbe claims to have only received LRD200, 000.

“Only God in heaven knows where the rest of the money went. Teahjay did not think that this man is from sick [bed] and let carry his money. Instead, the money drastically reduced in his hands,” Sen. Nagbe alleges.

He alleged that Sen. Teahjay cannot be trusted at any time because he is allegedly deceitful and he lies. In buttress to Sen. Nagbe’s allegation against Sen. Teahjay, Rep. Matthew Zarzar alleges that during the days Mr. Teahjay was working as Sione County Superintendent, the Ministry of Internal Affairs allegedly provided US$3,109,068.64 for the 2014 Independence Day celebrations, but the General Auditing Commission audit reported that Senator Teahjay allegedly squandered US$727,669.20.

He narrates that the GAC’s report stated that out of 74 development projects duly approved by the Sinoe Development Council with total cost of US$2, 646, 870, 00, only three projects were completed.

“This clearly shows that Teahjay cleverly diverted the council’s development funds to his personal aggrandizement, thus depriving the people of Kpanyan, Jaedae, Jaedae, Jurzon districts, Greenville City and the rest of badly needed development. Sinoe County was deprived of development while Teahjay enriched himself at the detriment of the county,” he says.

But Teajay instead says the two officials accusing him are the ones stalling the development of the county, noting that during lawsuit against him, both Sen. Nagbe and Rep. Zarzar testified against him.

According to Teahjay, the posture of his two colleague shows the highest level of hate they have displayed against him, and threatens that Sen. Nagbe and Rep. Zarzar will be expelled from the county’s legislative caucus if they brought the county to public disrepute.

He accuses Sen. Nagbe and Rep. Zarzar of allegedly being most ungrateful people he has ever met. Meanwhile, the citizens of Sinoe County have written the five lawmakers from the county, requesting them to report to Sinoe for a Town Hall meeting to look into the recent confusion. They have also two separate letters to Speaker Bhofal Chambers and Senate President Pro-tempore, Albert Chie, to excuse the five lawmakers from sessions on March 27 and 29 respectively.

“Any failure on the part of the lawmakers to attend the meeting, we will be compelled to send delegation to Monrovia to stop the lawmakers from entering their respective offices until they appear in Sinoe for the meeting”, they threaten in the release.

-Editing by Jonathan Browne