Liberia's former maritime commissioner, Mr. Eugene Nagbe, has alleged that former President George Manneh Weah has been denied access to the VIP Lounge at the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
"As early as 7 AM, we dispatched a team of EPS [Executive Protection Service] and Protocol Officers in preparation for our trip, but they had met the place all locked up," said Mr. Nagbe on Thursday, 6 June 2024.
"And immediately upon the former President's arrival, we felt we had been denied because a communication was sent two weeks ago," Mr. Nagbe argued.
Meanwhile, an inquiry by a NewDawn newspaper reporter covering former President Weah's departure at the airport gathered from a protocol officer at the airport that the VIP Lounge was under renovation.
The protocol officer, who did not want to be named, told our reporter that no passage was allowed at the VIP Lounge due to ongoing work and that the former president's team had been informed about the latest decision.
However, another source at the VIP Lounge, who also asked for anonymity, alleged that Mr. Weah was deliberately denied access to the lounge.
Mr. Nagbe, a former information minister and now an advisor to Mr. Weah, told the media that the ex-president Weah was allegedly denied using both VIP lounges at the RIA.
According to him, before former President Weah departed for Ghana on Thursday, they had informed the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs concerning an invitation extended to him for a diplomatic meeting in Accra, Ghana.
Nagbe explained that arrangements were made for a private jet, and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs was notified about former President Weah's pending trip.
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Nagbe said protocol officers and members of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) assigned to former President Weah were dispatched to the facility in preparation for the travel.
However, he said they met at both Presidential Lounges at the airport, which were locked despite prior arrangements made for the former president's travel.
Nagbe asserted that in engagements with Protocol Officers, they were told to proceed at the ordinary terminal since there weren't any immigration officers to attend to the former President and his entourage.
"Two weeks ago, we informed the Liberian government about an invitation extended to Ex-President Weah for a diplomatic meeting in Accra, Ghana, with arrangements made for a private jet," he narrated.
He added that they also sent a communication to the Ghanaian government upon his arrival.
Mr. Nagbe suggested that former President Weah's alleged denial of access to the VIP Lounge shouldn't be strange to the public.
He accused President Joseph Nyumah Boakai of allegedly refusing to speak to his predecessor since taking office.
Nagbe asserted that despite Weah's concession following his election defeat, President Boakai has allegedly refrained from any direct communication or speech with his predecessor.
"As we delve into this, let us touch [on] some secondary issues. This shouldn't be strange, the former President, Weah, was denied. President Boakai can not speak to Weah," Nagbe alleged.
