Suspended Nimba CEO frustrated

Suspended Nimba County Education Officer Wleh T. Sailah has expressed serious frustration in authorities at the Ministry of Education for failing to have him reinstated, despite restoring his amenities, afterthe conclusion of an investigation that led to his suspension.

Speaking to this paper over the weekend in an extensive interview, the Suspended CEO expressed frustration over officials at the Ministry of Education for doing nothing to reinstate him, though he has been proven not guilty by members of the investigation committee constituted by the Ministry.

The Nimba CEO was suspended on eight counts, including putting names of his children to the ministry’s payroll, as well as diverting two pieces of computers at his house.

He was also accused of receiving cash from the J. W. Pearson School and possessing warehouse keys.  According to Mr. Sailah, on December 21, 2015, a team of officials from the Ministry of Education, constituted by the Deputy Minister for Administration, proceeded to Nimba County to investigate him for alleged administrative malpractices within the county school system.

He said during preliminary investigation, the ministry asked him and several District Education Officers or DEOs, including the current acting CEO of Nimbato make statements on the eight counts communication submitted to the administration from a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Nimba County.

The CEO, who quoted the report, however, explained that following the reading of the various statements, the investigating team contacted the Deputy Minister for Administration to communicate with the First International Bank or FIB, and the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment to provide it with the images and statement of accounts bearing the aforementioned listed names and payroll numbers in the eight counts: Alvin Gone (Account Number
21-12-588-0263 2), SnorteeSailah (Account Number 21-12-588-0248) and Beatrice Domah (Account Number 21-12-599-0494), respectively.

Mr. Sailah added that, the eight counts mentioned in the communication from the Concerned Citizens of Nimba County school system on allegations of administrative malpractices, especially that which has to do with replacement of names on the MOE payroll and the withdraw of funds from the county school accounts while undersuspension during the investigation, were not discovered on any of the obtained documents from the LBDI and FIB.

He, however, explained that up to the time this interview was conducted, the ministry had not yet released to the general public the result of the investigation because such result favored him, saying had the result being the opposite, the public would have known by now.

“I wish they could do this so that my character which was destroyed can be restored and respected in society,” he said.

The names of the investigating committee included Magnus C. Manbande –Legal Officer of the Ministry of Education and Nathanel E. Gibson–Retention Supervisor and Human Resource. John Dahn – Auditor at the ministry, also formed part of the team.