The Inquirer (Monrovia)
Morison O.G. Sayon
4 November 2008
Citizens and youths of Nimba County have expressed unhappiness over the uncertainty that is said to be hanging over their US$1.5 million Accelormittal royalty intended for the development of the county.
Accelormittal signed a concession agreement with the government of Liberia in which the company has committed itself to provide US$3 million to three of the counties where it would be operating.
The three counties are Bong, Nimba and Grand Bassa counties. Addressing a new conference yesterday in Monrovia, two prominent sons of the county said they have received information from their Senior Senator Prince Johnson quoting President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as expressing fear that if the people of Nimba are permitted to take control of the US$1.5million, the citizens would purchase arms and ammunitions to start another round of war instead of using the money for the development of the county.
According to Mr. Ranny Gbatu, Nimba Youth Representative and D. Dorr Cooper, Chairman of the Progressive and Concerned Youth of Nimba, Senator Johnson's revelation was contained in a statement he delivered at a well-attended Nimba citizens meeting held recently in Tappita.
Mr. Gbatu who read a well-prepared statement on behalf of the youths of Nimba County quoted Sen. Johnson as saying that President Johnson-Sirleaf could not allow citizens of Nimba to handle such huge amount of money because of fear that 'she knows the strength of Nimbaians in terms of warfare'.
"Based on this information from our Senator, Nimbaians are disappointed over such statement emanating from the offices of the President through our senator.We are therefore calling on the President to dissolve the executive committee which comprises of H.Q. Taylor and Cllr. David Jallah and further replace them by other prominent and competent Nimbaians who will supervise and monitor the usage of the money," Mr. Gbatu noted.
"We believe what our senator told us because the President appointed citizens of Grand Bassa and Bong Counties to manage their money but for Nimba County, she appointed people from out of our county to manage our money. This is a complete disrespect to the people of Nimba County and we will not accept such," Gbatu averred.
The Nimba youth representatives then called on Madam Sirleaf to dissolve the executive committee and constitute a new committee that will include the county Superintendent, and two lawmakers, one from the lower house and the other from the upper house of parliament to manage the county's money.
When contacted to comment on the report, Sen. Johnson said he was misconstrued by the youths as he did not attribute such statement to President Sirleaf. He said President Sirleaf knows her reason for including two outsiders on the committee that is set up to manage the money allotted to the county and sees no reason why this should be a problem.
But observers are questioning the motive behind the appointment of two persons who are not citizens of the county. They wondered why Madam Sirleaf did not appoint people from the county as in the case of Grand Bassa and Bong when in fact there are competent individuals in the county.
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The comment supra partially corroborates my guess or dream or whatever of the thesis of the selective prosecution of Taylor and his son for crimes against 'humanity.' Where is the definition of "humanity," by the way? Humanity, under my riff, is a troubled project, unfinished, and will probably shipwreck, beyond the theory of entropy.
Assuming that the stammering crime is not limited by a statute of limitations, then President Monroe could be indicted IN ABSENTIA for launching a project that resulted in the decimation of innumerable 'natives' in the territory of Liberia by SOME so-called "Americo-'Liberians'" and their 'native' FIFTH COLUMNISTS.
If "PJ is a warmonger" why is he not in the dock with Taylor in the Hague? Ditto, for Alhaji Dr. Tejan Kabba of the soupist occupied territory of Sierra Leone with its denizens of sub-altern modern enslaved inhabitants?
Archaeologizing even deeper, what about the confused Francophone Houphiet of hegemonic and imperialist France's Ivory Coast? Nay, how about the man himself in Burkina?
How about ...
Prince Johnson and the likes of him elected to represent the Liberian people are doing a disservice. Has Johnson ask the county leadership of Nimba to draw-up a development Plan for the use of the money? What does the development plan comprise off? Should development funds be handed off without accountability? We need to stop promoting discord in the society and work together to develop a better Liberia. PJ is a warmonger, distortionist and someone that needs to reigned-in.