By Lewis S. Teh
The opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) has described the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Williametta Piso Saydee-Tarr as s failure and a total embarrassment to women of Liberia and the entire country at large.
“We condemn the act involving the First Lady, but the decision of the Gender Minister to keep silent while innocent kids are being raped and women’s rights are being abused is saddening”, says the ANC deputy vice chair for political and international affairs Madam Victoria Quaqua.
Speaking to Prime FM Wednesday, she said it’s unfortunate that Gender Ministry kept silent while alleged sexual abuse of women and children are being reported on a daily basis, adding that while the ANC welcomes all condemnations by various civil society groups, such shouldn’t be restricted only to the First Lady.
Madam Quaqua notes that women and children in the country, including minors, are being raped and nothing seems to be done about it.
She stresses that advocacy for women’s rights should cut across every female irrespective of status, political affiliation, or age, but says it is saddening the Gender Minister, civil society organizations, including rights groups will only come out in their numbers to condemn a particular act, leaving out the multiple cases reported across the country.
“Firstly, I want to condemn the writing in that book; it is unacceptable, we’re going to stand firm against any act of violence most especially, against women and girls.
We also want to commend our standard bearer, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, for taking such a bold step, this shows leadership”, she adds.
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Madam Quaqua says she is surprised to see the Gender Minister and the chairperson for persons living with disabilities here addressing a press conference when President George Weah failed to mention anything about people with disabilities in his recent Annual Message.
She wonders where was Minister Saydee-Tarr when just ten days ago in Monrovia, a teenager was allegedly raped and she subsequently died.
According to her, the second part of the story is that the book in question also talks about Liberian women, saying “The most saddening part in this entire story is to see the Gender Minister running with it only because it’s involved the First Lady, she does that only because she works in the CDC-led government, and she has a job to protect, this is saddening.”
However, Assistant Gender Minister Mamensi Kabbah disagrees with callers who say the ANC political leader Mr. Alexander B. Cummings exercised leadership by releasing a statement Tuesday, announcing the resignation of his chief of staff, Mr. Isaac Vah Tukpah.
“His [Cummings’] press release is disingenuous, he seems to express more regret over the resignation of his chief of office staff rather than the unspeakable things that were said about the First Lady and the Liberian women”, Minister Kabbah notes.
She describes Mr. Cummings’ attitude as pretentious and a disservice, adding that there’s nothing wrong with everyone standing with the First Lady, as it is being misinterpreted by others.
Mr. Isaac Vah Tukpah had co-authored a book reportedly published on Amazon that contains sexually explicit comments against First Lady Clar Marie Weah that he attributed to President Weah.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/gender-condemns-author-isaac-vah-tukpah/ Editing by Jonathan Browne
