-for firing opposition member of cabinet
President George Weah has come under serious public criticism here for firing his Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Cllr. Cooper A. Kruah, for attending an opposition rally last Friday, 28 April in Monrovia.
Former Minister Kruah is chairman of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) whose standard bearer, Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung, has been named by former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai as his running mate for the October 10, 2023, Presidential and General Elections.
The MDR founded by Senator Prince Yormie Johnson withdrew support from President Weah last year on account of alleged broken promises and instead, joined the opposition Unity Party headed by former Vice President Boakai.
Former Minister Kruah had gone to grace the selection of his Standard Bearer Koung as vice naming mate to the former Vice President when he fell into trouble with the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change that terms him a traitor for being in an opposition rally.
"It's unfortunate and very irresponsible attitude exhibited by our President - his decision to have dismissed Minister Kruah", a resident of Bushrod Island says.
Speaking to the NEW DAWN in an exclusive interview Tuesday, May 2, several citizens said the decision by President Weah is uncalled for and doesn't represent a character of a good leader.
A senior member of the ruling CDC government, who asked for anonymity, notes that President Weah should have waited for a month or two, before taking such a decision to avoid jeopardizing gains of his government with just four months to elections.
"Look, I will tell you for free that the decision of President Weah wasn't his personal decision; that decision came from few guys from the party, who claim to have proximity to the President", the CDCian believes.
He argues that those influencing the President's decision fail to realize that the President, upon taking office in 2018, promised to run an inclusive government, wondering how come they tend to forget so quickly, but are allegedly persuading him to take action against someone who has gone to identify with his political party.
The CDCian maintains that it is wrong and if care is not taken, this will have an adverse effect on his reelection bid especially, in Nimba County.
Under the Construction of Liberia, appointment in government is by the will and pleasure of the President with exclusive right to fire at will.
Speaking also, a resident of Montserrado County Electoral District#16, Thomas Kollie, says though he remains a strong supporter of Mr.Weah, due to his many developmental initiatives, including road construction, modern hospitals, and market buildings across the country, the President's decision was as a result of calls from ruling CDC lawmaker Moses Acarous Gray, of Montserrado County Electoral District#8.
He accuses Representative Gray and other top ruling party executives of being the mastermind behind the dismissal of Minister Kruah.
"To be honest with you, the revelation made by Bong County Superintendent Esther Walker that three guys control the CDC and this government shouldn't be taken for granted", Mr. Kollie adds.
Though he declines to name those three powerful persons in the Weah administration, but warns that if President Weah will continue to make decisions and subsequently take actions based on instructions of his close associates then he would loss favor with the people and the popularity he has over the years.
A day after Ambassador Boakai named his running mate, Representative Gray took to social media, calling for the immediate resignation or dismissal of Minister Cooper Kruah for being present at the ceremony, branding him as a traitor and a sellout who has no place in the CDC government.
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At the ceremony, Minister Kruah was visibly seen sitting in the front roll, clapping his hands, as one of his kinsmen, Senator Koung was named vice presidential candidate by the former vice president much to the dislike of the ruling establishment.
In his Facebook podcast on Saturday, April 29, Rep. Gray described the minister as a traitor, who should muster the courage to resign immediately to avoid any future embarrassment.
But President Weah wasted no time in dismissing the Posts and Telecommunications Minister on Monday, as a warning to other officials of his administration with relationships to the opposition bloc, ahead of the October 10th polls.
Minister Kruah, National Chairman of the MDR, came to limelight as few of the first batch of officials appointed under the Weah-led Administration back in February 2018.
He was relieved of his post on Monday, May 1, and has been replaced by Cllr. Worlea-Saywah Dunah, subject to Senate confirmation. Editing by Jonathan Browne
