Ellen nominates new development supt. for Nimba

By directive of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Morris Dukuly, has nominated Ganta City Mayor Dorr Cooper, to act as Development Superintendent for Nimba County. An Internal Affairs Ministry press release issued in Monrovia says Mr. Cooper’s nomination comes days after Development Superintendent Teeko Yorlay was relieved of the post for alleged disrespect to constituted authority.

But the former Development Superintendent has attributed his recent dismissal to his refusal to allow corruption in the county. Mr. Yorlay was dismissed recently based on recommendation from Internal Affairs Minister Morris Dukuly, days after the House of Representatives declared a ‘vote of no confidence’ in the entire leadership of Nimba.

Plenary’s decision was taken when Mr. Yorlay and his former boss, Superintendent Fong Zuagele, appeared before that august body to respond to allegations against them. Nimba County Representative Matenokay Tingbah, alleged that the county’s leadership is disrespectful, arrogant and undermining development in Nimba. During the hearing attended by Minister Dukuly, members of the Nimba Legislative Caucus claimed Mr. Yorlay publicly referred to them as ‘cockroaches’.

But Yorlay, in a statement released Sunday, dismissed the charges of disrespect leveled against him and insisted: “I was fired because I did not allow corruption.”

He continued, “I have now accepted the fact that I am not in the Nimba County Administration to stop people’s operations because I could not accept to be used, misused and abused as an instrument to facilitate pillaging of the already limited county resources.” Yorlay indicated that he is glad that the County Legislative Caucus didn’t say he was dismissed for stealing from the Nimba people.

“I was dismissed because of boldface and inflated lies. I had problem with some of our lawmakers when I felt that as Assistant Superintendent for Development and not Assistant Superintendent for Underdevelopment when acts of transforming County Development Fund into Pocket Development Fund were being exhibited, I should not countenance or tolerate it.”

He disclosed that the county leadership recently suspended Clinton G. Laywhyee, Nimba Project Management Chairman, for his refusal to submit financial reports on previous money released to the county for development. Mr. Yorlay noted that the report was a pre-requisite to receiving US$400,000, which President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf asked the Ministry of Finance to release to the county to undertake development projects.

“What is unimaginable is for people to frown at us for reprimanding Clinton Laywhyee, who has stagnated our development. But this too is Nimba! A Nimba where honorable lawmakers feel that speaking against graft, waste and abuse can only be rewarded with lies leading to dismissal. This is the new strategy of how Nimba will be built. The tactics is weed out people who detest graft, waste and abuse,” Yorlay noted.