Monrovia — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia is embroiled in controversy and acrimony over the 'tenure' of the Executive Director, Mr. Wilson Tarpeh and the dismissal of Mr. Benjamin S. Karmorh, Jr., the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), over alleged criminal misconduct.
The EPA issued a press release on January 25, 2024, accusing Mr. Karmorh of leading a group that disrupted normal operations and orchestrated an unauthorized takeover of power at the Agency on January 23, 2024. The release asserted that Mr. Karmorh, along with two suspended employees and other individuals, falsely claimed he was the new head, challenging the legitimacy of Prof. Wilson K. Tarpeh's term as head of the EPA.
However, in a counter-statement issued by Mr. Karmorh, he vehemently denied the allegations, labeling his dismissal as baseless and unfounded. He accused Prof. Tarpeh of a desperate quest to maintain his position at the EPA, highlighting a lack of legal authority to dismiss him as Chief Technical Advisor.
Mr. Karmorh claimed that his dismissal, along with attempts to silence other EPA staff, was a calculated move to suppress professionals and technocrats who scrutinize the agency's operations. He declared his intention to pursue legal action, emphasizing a violation of the EPA Act and calling Prof. Tarpeh's actions a witch hunt.
Furthermore, Mr. Karmorh cited Executive Order 123, issued by former President George M. Weah, to argue that non-tenured presidential appointees should be presumed to have resigned as of the inauguration date. He contended that the order applied to the EPA, urging the government to appoint an Acting Executive Director to restore calm and order within the agency.
In response to Mr. Karmorh's dismissal, the EPA clarified that his reliance on Executive Order 123 was misplaced, emphasizing that the order applies to non-tenured entities and does not extend to tenured agencies like the EPA. The agency defended its decision to dismiss Mr. Karmorh, citing the serious nature of his impersonation and the disruption of normal activities, which exposed the EPA to public ridicule.
