The Chairman Emeritus of the former ruling National Patriotic Party(NPP), Chief Cyril Allen, has asserted that Mr. Robert Sirleaf lacks the requisite qualification and experience to serve as Chairman of the National Oil Company of Liberia(NOCAL). Mr. Robert Sirleaf is one of the sons of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Chief Allen further asserted that the appointment of Mr. Robert Sirleaf as Board Chairman of NOCAL by President Johnson-Sirleaf amounts to "nepotism".
He contended that the man-Robert Sirleaf is not qualified for the job and that it was completely wrong for president to appoint him to such key position in government.
He made the assertions in Monrovia on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 when he spoke on the Truth Bread fast Show on Truth FM. He spoke on wide range of national issues. Speaking further, the former NPP chairman said the fact that the current NOCAL board chairman worked at Wall Street in the United States of America, it does not mean that the President's son is qualified for said post.
The Liberian opposition politician said it was unfortunate that President Johnson-Sirleaf, who criticized some past Liberian presidents of "nepotism", is doing just that. "Everyone is afraid of the President. She needs to be told what is going on wrong. She is a human being that needs to be told her wrong doing." He among other things stated.
But the Deputy Minister for Public Affairs at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), Isaac Jackson, debunked the assertions by Chief Allen, saying they are "loose talks". Contrary to the claims by the NPP chairman emeritus that Mr. Sirleaf is not qualified to serve as chairman of the board of NOCAL, Deputy Minister Jackson said Mr. Sirleaf is qualified and intelligent to work in government, despite his mother being president of the country.
The MICAT official, who responded to Mr. Allen's assertions in an exclusive interview with the Heritage yesterday evening, pointed out that the continued commitment and dedication by Mr. Sirleaf in the discharge of his duty as NOCAL board chairman validates his qualification. He said the Liberian Constitution, which is regarded as the organic law of the country, states that government should provide job opportunities to all its citizens irrespective of status, political affiliation, tribe or creed.
Against this backdrop, he said Mr. Sirleaf, as a qualified Liberian citizen, is entitled to a job like any other qualified Liberian citizen, averring "If you say the president should not give Mr. Sirleaf job because he is her son then the president will be engaging into discrimination."
Said the MICAT official: " If nepotism is the only thing people in the opposition can point to, then I think we are making progress. What Mr. Allen and others should be talking about, is what the government has spoken to. The government said it will bring people on board who are competent."
According to him, the issue of nepotism has to do with incompetence and a person using his/her influence with the president disproportionately.
This, he added, is not in the case of Mr. Sirleaf.
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it is always said mr. sirleaf is working on a pro-bono basis. I think he should go to national housing and savings bank or the agriculture cooperative dev. bank to have these places revive rather than for people to keep lying that it is a free service at such lucrative institution. This country is being treated as a personal farm for someone. Certain people are completely excluded from the benefits of society. They created war for the country man to kill each other while their children were trading on wall street. Jackson got his share and so preach it support nepotism at the highest level and you know this is the order of the day. why should we shy away from the truth, LIBERIAN ARE SUFFERING all your oil are being sold below 12%(royalty), we need to sit and weep for mama Liberia. long since he was challenged to publish his cv. real cv, not like one of our big shots who said he got a master degree from LUNDS when in fact it was a blatant lie, we want the real CV to be publish. published. Mr. Gongloe and Allen are saying the same thing, Liberian dont be fools wake up, they bought guns and kill your parents to include my late mother but only to hear dr. dahn say no war crime court, a big joke it is only a matter of time Dr. they will be tried come what may......
Cyril Allen, is right Madam Sirleaf, need to be told the truth of her past. Madam Sirleaf, is well educated person and she knew the Liberia constitution at time when she was critizing William Tolbert and Samuel Doe, for nipoticism. Why is it wrong now? If madam Sirleaf, is a truthful and honest person than she need to tell the Liberian people why she criticised past leaders for appointing family members in their government and why is right now, to appoint her sons and other family members in her government.I'm asking madam Sirleaf to do this because her criticism of William Tolbert and Samuel Doe, help to destructed ted those two leaders.
If Robert Sirleaf and his brothers truly their love mother, they should save her this shameful embarrassment by resigning their appointed positions. Their appointment in government is not health for their family and is it not good their mother's legacy. I have nothing against Ellen and her children, they are Liberian like any other Liberian. But, a great leader should always practice what they say before coming into power. When madam Sirleaf, was seeking state power or the presidency, she criticized the two leaders before for nepotism and corruptions. Her criticizing of the late William Tolbert and the late Samuel Doe, for nepotism and corruptions, caused them their governments and their lives. Madam Sirleaf was right for criticizing them at the time but, she is wrong now for doing the same. So, the Liberian people are right for questioning her on the appointment of children and family members in her government. Madam Sirleaf knows that she is wrong for causing the death of William Tolbert and Samuel Doe for nepotism and corruptions, there by practicing nepotism and allowing corruption to go on under her watch with little or no action against many of her appointed official that have been accursed. I love madam Sirleaf, she is a good leader but not a great leader. I hope that she will become a great leader before her second term is over, by correcting those great mistakes.