US Embassy Staff, Others Fuels Tension in Bong
Tension continues to mount in Bong County, following the holding of a political rally at a local tea shop forum in Gbarnga, Bong County, organized by a group calling itself Supreme Media Initiative, headed by Mr. Robert Clerk of the U.S Embassy in Monrovia.
The group, which said it was examining those who have declared their intentions to contest this year’s Special Senatorial Election, began the forum by presenting the ‘opinions’ of the aspirants.
As a result, tension erupted when the head of the group, U.S Embassy Information Officer Robert Clerk, brought the focus of the discussion on two of the senatorial spirants- Cuttington University President Dr. Henrique Tokpah and Deputy Internal Affairs Minister of Operations and former Bong County Superintendent Ranney Jackson.
Mr. Clerk, who raised a number of allegations, especially against the Cuttington University President, declared that that Dr. Tokpa should not be voted as senator because, according to him, he allegedly made a statement that“bitter-ball seller children cannot attend Cuttington University”- allegation initially made by Representative George Mulbah of Bong County years back following the 2005 general and prudential elections due to differences he had with the Cuttington University President.
“As a staff of the U.S Embassy and a journalist, I can say Dr. Tokpah made the statement,” Mr. Clerk maintained at the forum, further accusing Dr. Tokpa of describing Radio Gbarnga-a station with which he initially worked and continues to work while visiting Gbarnga, as a cancel cell.
According to the U.S. Embassy Information Officer, some of his colleagues at Radio Gbarnga had informed him that Dr. Tokpah, through the Managing Editor of the Bong Times Newspaper, attempted to give them US$500. 00 to stop broadcasting the CU President’s alleged statement.
“Working with the US Embassy, it is easy to determine statements made by these politicians because we are trained in this area all the times,” he added.
The group, which includes FrontPage Africa’s controversial Bong County correspondent Selma Lomax and Love FM reporter Jerry Siakor, said Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Ranney Jackson should not also be elected on grounds that he was broke. The evaluation of the aspirants was characterized by serious arguments at the a-to shop among their supporters as the discussion was broadcast live on Radio Gbarnga.
Some argued as to why only the two aspirants were spotlighted at the gathering when over nine persons have expressed interest in the lone senatorial seat, while others accused the U.S Embassy staff of being sponsored by other politicians to bath-mouth Tokpa and Jackson to the advantage of incumbent Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor in the county now politically charged.
The discussion, held by the three ‘journalists’ was still receiving volumes of public condemnations in Gbarnga and its environs, with many expressing concerns about the negative roles of some journalists have decided to play in this year’s crucial election process, despite the recent intervention of the National Elections Commission in building the capacity of rural journalists in election reporting.
