MONROVIA – In Liberia, it is often said that “one whose father is in heaven would not be destined for hell.” Heaven is used metaphorically to refer to a privileged position or important public office, while hell, on the other hand, means a situation of suffering or lack of privileges.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
Translated to politics, it means that when one is occupying a privileged position in government, his kith and kin are not expected to suffer any material deprivation”.
The occupant of such office is expected to appropriate the position of his office to dispense favor and patronage to his relations with a view to improving their material condition. It is because of this belief, that appointments into public offices are usually greeted with cheer and celebration by associates of the appointee.
Minister Kruah accused of nepotism
At the Ministry of Labor, claims of nepotism have been elevated under Minister Cooper Kruah’s stewardship. He has been heavily criticized for his lopsided appointments.
As a result, the ministry is enmeshed into a faction — Minister Kruah’s supporters and those being led by Deputy Minister Steve Kolubah and Labor Inspector Charles Brown. This infighting has resulted in the illegal dismissal of employees.
In a communication addressed to an employee only identified as Mr. Seeboe on June 19, the ministry’s planning officer, Victor S. Whymah, wrote: “The administration of the Ministry of Labour writes to inform you that, by directive of the Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr., you are hereby dismissed with immediate effect from the position of Planning Officer, Ministry of Labour. This action is in keeping with Chapter 4, Section 2/4.2.2 d. of the Civil Service Standing Order which states: “Conduct Unbecoming of an Employee in the Public Service”. Your dismissal is predicated upon your involvement in impersonation as an Inspector on Friday June 14, 2024 in Gbarpolu County, which was proven by an investigation conducted by the Ministry. This action of yours brought embarrassment to the Ministry of Labour.”
While Minister Kruah reportedly barred dismissed employees from entering the ministry, Kolubah and Brown opposed the decision, mandating all dismissed employees to report to his office in an apparent attempt to rescind the minister’s decision.
In a leaked message from the Ministry of Labor’s employees’ WhatsApp chatroom, Minister Kolubah wrote: “All dismissed employees will come to my office tomorrow (date not mentioned). Security, please take note.”
Minister Kolubah’s order was supported by an employee, Boris Leeway, who also wrote in the chatroom. “Thanks so much, Minister Kolubah for the farsightedness. You’re a professional who understands administrative matters.”
Brown, meanwhile, posted in the chatroom, declaring himself as “the front-line commander chief”, adding that he will stand with (Kolubah) in the fight for justice. He added: A complete nonsense. The Ministry of Labour is not only for Nimba people.”
However, another employee, E. Fredrick Baye, disagreed with Minister Kolubah when he responded in the chatroom, saying: “If this instruction is truly from Minister Kolubah, I believe in my wisdom it should be transmitted to concerned individuals quietly with the consent of all top-level decision makers so that in the end there will be mutual understanding at the end.”
Armed police besieged ministry
As tension heightened at the ministry on Wednesday, pictures of armed police officers besieging the ministry surfaced on social media, with reports that Minister Kruah had called on the police to enforce the arrest of dismissed employees who were refusing to vacate their respective offices.
Efforts by FrontPageAfrica to contact Minister Kruah to ascertain whether the presence of armed police officers was because of his order proved unsuccessful.
Cllr. Kruah was once investigated and found guilty by the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the Supreme Court for committing financial fraud and theft against a client (Mano River Agriculture Rehabilitation and Development Corporation – MARDCO) which violates Rule 15 of the Code of Moral and Professional Ethics. Kruah was mandated to pay back over $105k.
Exiled Liberian activist, Martin Kollie, called on President Joseph Boakai to “detribalize” all government ministries and agencies. Kollie, who first broke the news of an infight between Cllr. Kruah and his deputies via his social media handle, also called on the Civil Service Agency to launch an independent investigation into Kruah’s illegal dismissal.
“As an activist, we must protect the public interest. Those who think we will allow them to abuse power and abuse our people, you are mistaken. We will defend the utmost interests of the people. We will protect the peace and demand transformative change,” he said.
History of infighting in Boakai’s gov’t
This is the second report of infighting in President Boakai’s government since he assumed office six months ago. Last month, infighting between the director general of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Col. Abraham Kromah and his two principal deputies, Col. Hassan Fadiga, deputy director general for operations, and Col. Gbawou Kowou, deputy director general for administration came to public notice after a viral video of the three top LDEA officers using foul words on each other surfaced on social media.
President Boakai would later suspend the three without pay pending investigation.
