By Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr., Margibi County
Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh, a very strong supporter of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai is disappointed and unhappy about ongoing nomination of officials in government, particularly the cabinet, seriously calling for geographical balance.
Senator Konneh, who was also very instrumental in calculating and securing votes for President Boakai during the 14 November 2923 Presidential Runoff Election, has written on his official Facebook Page that the President is not fulfilling his campaign promise to take at least a cabinet minister from each county.
“The President promised a Minister from each county. Clearly, this promised will not be fulfilled”, he writes and continues,
“President Joseph Boakai has appointed Ministers to head 15 Ministries including 2 ministers of state without portfolio. Lofa has 5 (29.4%), Bong has 4 (23.5%), Bassa, Bomi and Nimba have 2 each (35.3%) while Cape Mount and Sinoe have 1 each (117%).”
According to the Senator, Lofa County has the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Education, Youth and Sports, Internal Affairs and State Without Portfolio, while Grand Cape Mount has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sinoe, Ministry of State and Nimba, Ministries of Justice and Defense, respectively.
He continues that Grand Bassa has the Ministries of Health and Information; Bomi has Ministries of Finance and Transport and Bong has Ministries of Public Works, Agriculture, Gender and State Without Portfolio.
He notes that 15 of 18 cabinet ministers, which is 83.3% of cabinet positions appointed from seven of the fifteen counties so far, constituting 46.6%.
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According to the senator, three cabinet positions remain with about eight of the 15 counties without ministerial positions.
He names the remaining positions as Ministers of Posts and Telecommunications, Mines and Energy and Labour, lamenting that the President has so far just appointed one Muslim in his government, Mamaka Bility.
He observes that Gbarpolu, Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Kru, River Cess, Maryland, Grand Gedeh and River Gee are without cabinet positions.
According to him, President Boakai won in Margibi and Gbarpolu in both rounds of the elections and won Montserrado in the runoff.
Senator Konneh points out that Southeast Liberia that has six counties only got one cabinet position.
He explains that those of them who supported President Boakai must remind him quietly and publicly of promises made during the campaign because change means change.
“Those of us who supported President Boakai must remind him of his promises quietly and publicly when it becomes necessary to help him deliver the promises he made when he campaigned for president. Change means change!” This is Senator Konneh’s demand.
