According to rule 13, Liberia’s government’s revised travel ordinance of 2016/2017, no trip out of the country should exceed more than seven days.
The law ordinance states, “Total number of days spent on any particular trip shall not exceed seven days for which per diem and accommodation shall be funded by the Government of Liberia.”
But it seems the current trip by President George Weah to the United States of America is in clear violation of this law.
The President attended the US-Africa Summit and has been out of the country since November 1, 2022. After 48 days out of the jurisdiction, he returned on December 19, 2022, 41 days in excess of the approved number of days a government official can be out of the country.
Liberia’s president, George Weah, departed the country for Morocco with some members of his government, including Chief of Protocol, Finda Bundoo, Special Aide, Sekou Kalasco, Head of the Liberia Maritime Commission, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, Youth and Sports Minister, D. Zeogar Wilson, among others.
A stop followed the trip to Morocco in Egypt, where President Weah participated in the just-ended COP27, the United Nations Global Climate Change Conference, which kicked off on November 6, 2022, at the Tonino Lamborghini International Convention Center in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
This conference ran from November 6 to 8, 2022, when the Liberian President left for Qatar to join some world leaders for the official opening of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
According to two separate communications sent to the Liberian Legislature, President Weah told the August body that his trip is intended to hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with his counterparts and business executives.
Controversy over Weah’s long absence
A government spokesman said the president’s assignments are in furtherance of the country’s development and investments agenda.
Since the announcement of these trips by the CDC-led government, there have been huge criticisms by Liberians, political parties and some civil society organisations in the country.
The 48-day globe-trotting adventure by President Weah has sparked heated debates in the country, with Montserrado County and member of the opposition community, Senator Abraham Darius Dillon calling on his colleagues of the Liberian Senate to launch a probe into the president’s travels.
Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, an international civil society organisation in Liberia, has since expressed concern over what it termed as the long absence of President Weah from the country.
According to the group’s Executive Director, Eddie Jarwolo, the Liberian leader’s prolonged absence from the country amid controversies over the conduct of the National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) is completely out of order.
When DUBAWA contacted Naymote Partners to find out if the president’s long absence was in breach of the travel ordinance, the organisation shared a statement with this researcher affirming the president’s breach of the Government of Liberia’s revised travel ordinance of 2016/2017.
The statement in part reads, “President Weah, who departed the country on November 1, 2022, violates these provisions. Additionally, there is no publicly available information on the number of people on this delegation and the total cost of funding this delegation for over 40 days. We call on the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Presidency to be transparent on this matter. We caution President Weah against violating the laws he was elected to enforce and the oath he took to defend the constitution and provide stable leadership for Liberia.”
Even more disturbing are reports suggesting that about nine Executive Protection Service (EPS) Agents have reportedly gone missing, having abandoned the Liberian President. But the EPS has since remained tight-lipped on the matter.
Military takeovers and matters arising
With the president and commander in Chief of the Liberia Armed Forces out of jurisdiction for a long time, there are questions about Liberia’s security and the risk of a military takeover.
The fear of a military takeover was reinforced with a startling revelation by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Major General Prince Charles Johnson III.
According to him, while President Weah was out of the country, several Liberians, both home and abroad, reached out to him through text messages and calls, encouraging him to take over the country as head of state through a military coup.
General Prince Charles Johnson made the revelation on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, when he appeared in a telephone conversation on a local radio talk show, the Okay Afternoon Conversation, aired on Okay 99.5FM
The Liberian Army Chief of Staff’s assertions were made at 39:03-41:20 in an over two hours talk show. The show was carried live on the station’s Facebook page and had over 200 comments, 3.7k views, and over 90 emojis.
Despite his calls to take over, the Army Chief said his single most important commitment is to uphold the democratic dispensation led by President Weah and will not entertain any military takeover.
To demonstrate his commitment to peace and democracy, the Army Chief warned that the military would deal ruthlessly with people who attempt to foment trouble and destabilise the country. He added protests and demonstrations not sanctioned by law would also be dealt with.
Liberia’s coup history and ECC criticism
Some Liberians, including civil society organisations in the country, have heavily criticised the posturing of the Army chief.
The latest criticism came from the Elections Coordinating Center (ECC), Liberia’s largest domestic election observation network with diverse competencies, experiences and expertise in democracy, elections and governance established in 2010.
According to the ECC statement under the signature of its chairman, Oscar Bloh, the ECC is deeply concerned about a public caveat issued by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) regarding the rule of law.
The ECC termed the Liberian Army Chief’s statement as completely out of order and a form of the military interfering in civil matters by instilling fear and intimidation in citizens.
Conclusion
For the first time in recent Liberian history, the president left his jurisdiction for 48 days in what his spokespersons say is strictly for bilateral discussion and to improve the investment agenda. However, that drive has been questioned by opposition leaders and civil society organisations, some of whom have expressed fears of a military takeover.
