The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cooper Rubber Company in Bomi County western Liberia urges Liberian lawmakers to be serious in their activities because they represent vast majority of the country’s population.
“The growth and development of this country must be done by serious minded people especially, lawmakers, because they are the direct representation of the citizens who can’t make their voices heard”, he underscores.
Speaking Monday, 20th August on a local radio station in Paynesville City outside Monrovia, Liberian entrepreneur James E. Cooper says Liberia will never experience maximum growth when lawmakers continue to work against interest of the people whom they represent in their various constituents.
He says if President Weah looks forward to achieving his pro-poor agenda, he should keep away from corrupt officials in his government, adding, “You can’t have someone like President Weah fighting to reduce economic hardship at the same time you have lawmakers undermining his efforts as the result of their corrupt activities; I think drastic action needs to be taken.”
The Cooper Farm CEO and Bomi County Senator Sando Johnson had been in war of words over an alleged bribery claim.
According to him, Senator Johnson, who chairs the Senate Committee on Concession and Investment, allegedly asked him for US$1.4 million bribe.
A retired U.S. police officer, Mr. Cooper runs a rubber farm in Liberia that is embarking on processing finished products with a current employment of about 150 Liberians. He is also Vice President for Rubber Planters Association of Liberia.
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He says the recent action exhibited by Senator Johnson, asking for US$ 1.4 million from the Rubber Planter’s funds is a clear indication that the senator is not in support of President Weah’s agenda that talks about giving power to the people, and lifting the people out of abject poverty.
“Imagine if a sitting Senator can request for such a huge amount from a private company that is empowering vast majority of the people whom he’s representing in Bomi County, then that tells you how unserious the senator is, and I think it is about time that Liberians see for themselves, and start thinking about people with integrity to elect.”
He notes that with the introduction of the government’s pro-poor agenda, it became clear that Liberia is blessed with a President who is passionate about improving the living condition of his people.
“The President is someone who wants to see Liberia moves forward in terms of national development and growth”, Mr. Cooper concludes.
However, on a recent talk show in Monrovia, Senator Johnson explained that since 2013, the World Bank has been annually allotting several million dollars to empower rubber farmers in Liberia, but the fund has been exclusively managed by the Central Bank of Liberia, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) a commercial bank.
According to the Bomi County Senator, farmers across the country had never benefit from the fund except Mr. Cooper who initially credited about US$1 Million, and is now negotiating for US$7 Million with liquidating the previous debt.
Senator Johnson however, did not comment on claim by Mr. Cooper of soliciting US$1.4 Million from the Cooper Farm CEO to enable him get the $7 Million loan.
By Lewis S. Teh-Editing by Jonathan Browne
