Liberia-One who once visited the gods, it is said, knows their dealings, roles and sittings, and this is exactly where former Assistant Minister for Information Services at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism (MICAT), Matthew Nyanplu, finds himself.
As a former government official who saw and knowledgeable of most of the behind-the-camera occurrences, Mr. Nyanplu is now painting a clear picture of how things have playing out in the administration, particularly at MICAT.
In a December 13, 2024 Facebook post, Nyanplu alleged that the President Joseph Boakai’s administration is indulged into acts of corruption and bad governance.
He made specific reference to the appointment of two consultants, George Lobbo and Ekena Wesley, at MICAT as total and flagrant violation of the administration’s avowed commitment to transparency and competitive recruitment under the National Consultancy Policy.
A former Talk show host at Prime FM, former Assistant Minister Nyanplu said the administration’s actions behind closed doors run contrary to its public announcements about transparency and accountability.
He alleged that recruitment of consultants under the Boakai administration is not being conducted in line with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) guidelines, which place emphasis on a competitive selection process, claiming that both men (Lobbo and Wesley) were selected not based on qualifications and merit but on political and personal connections.
Nyanplu claimed no public announcements or advertisements were made for the consultant positions at MICAT, arguing that the action contradicted the intent of the National Consultancy Policy launched earlier this year that talks about transparent and competitive process.
According to the former MICAT official, interviews were not conducted for the positions, except that staff of MICAT was simply told about the appointments.
He said CSA Director-General, Josiah Joekai, did not do due diligence in terms of upholding the government’s stated policy, alleging also
That President Boakai personally facilitated George Lobbo’s placement at MICAT as a temporary arrangement until Lobbo could secure a more important government appointment.
As for Ekena Wesley, a journalist by profession and former Communication Director at the Executive Mansion during former President Ellen Johnson Sir leaf reign, Nyanplu said his preferment was based on personal ties with the MICAT leadership.
Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah, he alleged, brought Wesley onboard based on his availability rather than through a formal recruitment process, and claimed that Mr. Piah described him as “the greatest Liberian columnist,” as a way of justifying his selection, even though no formal vetting process was conducted.
Nyanplu said the actions exemplified a broader trend of inconsistency within the administration, noting that the government often “says one thing in public but does another in practice.”
He admonished the administration to demonstrate greater integrity and transparency in public service, warning that such practices risk eroding public trust in governance.
But CSA Director-General, Josiah Joekai, did not let Nyanplu claim goes without notice or response.
In a statement on Saturday, December 14, 2024, Joekai completely denied the allegations and clarified circumstances surrounding the appointments of George Lobbo and Ekena Wesley.
According to Joekai, Lobbo or Wesley was not recruited under the Government of Liberia’s (GoL) Consultancy Program and that neither individual is on the GoL’s consultancy payroll.
The CSA boss indicated the CSA has no record of recruiting or deploying these individuals as consultants for MICAT or any other government institution.
The Director-General explained that since the launch of the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines in July 2024, the CSA has implemented significant reforms to ensure transparency and professionalism in the recruitment of consultants. These reforms include competitive selection processes, with a vetting committee comprising representatives from the CSA, the Ministry of Finance, and the hiring ministry or agency.
