The Liberian Senate turns away the Minister of Public Works MobotuVlah Nyenpan for improper dressing, while appearing before that body Thursday.
Margibi County Senator Oscar Cooper notes that being a former senator, Minister Nyenpan knows that is it unacceptable to appear before plenary wearing jean trousers.
During heated debate whether the Minister should leave or stay, Senators Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County and Oscar Cooper of Margibi County walked out of session, protesting that the Works Minister can’t be improperly dressed and allowed to address the Senate.
But Senator Thomas Grupee of Nimba County excerpts, defending that the rule of not wearing jeans trousers in the senate chambers govern sitting senators, not visitors.
He further argues the Works Minister is an Engineer, who does field work, so nothing is wronged with his dress code because the rule doesn’t affect him.
Responding, Minister Nyenpan maintains that he came in jeans because he and his team had just arrived from Timbo River Bridge in southeast Liberia where there is ongoing construction, for which the Liberian Senate invited him for briefing.
The Minister says he couldn’t have worn cloth trousers to appear before the Senate because he is the field and his job requires his dress code.
Grand Bassa County Senator Jonathan Kaipay then makes a motion that the Minister goes back and re-appears Tuesday, June 18, during their next sitting.
Minister Mobutu Nyenpan was attired in blue jeans trousers, an orange long sleeves shirt and blue jeans jacket along with a pair of navy blue shoes.
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Last week, the Liberian Senate summoned the Public Works Minister to provide update on the Timbo River Bridge and a temporary bridge project. Senators want to know what intervention the Ministry plans to make on the Buchanan –Greenville highway to make it passable this rainy season.
The appearance of Minister Nyenpan is as a result of a communication from Senator Augustine Chea of Sinoe County, who reveals that he was informed that funding was provided to the Minister of Public Works to construct a temporary bridge over the Timbo River to be used by pedestrians, while the permanent bridge is under construction.
He notes the temporary bridge was constructed, but the work is substandard, leading to the subsequent of collapse of the bridge.By Ethel A. Tweh— Editing by Jonathan Browne
