-Former LISGIS Deputy Director General for Statistics Describes Finance Minister Tweah

IPNEWS: The former Deputy Director General for Statistics and Data Processing at Liberia Institute of Statistics & Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), has described Finance Minister Samuel Tweah as a “C-Squared liar” and “a certified pathological criminal,” whose actions continue to embarrass Liberia.

Mr. Alex Williams told the Spoon TV online show, Spoon Talk, on Monday, November 14, that due to his strong stance against attempts by other senior officials at LISGIS to allegedly interfere with the National Population and Housing Census’ recruitment process, especially for people who did not apply through the e-Recruitment platform, thereafter a disagreement ensued between him and the other LISGIS bosses.

Williams further narrated live on the popular nighttime show, that they had earlier agreed that only those who applied through the recruitment process, would have been shortlisted. According to him, when they were about to shortlist individuals who applied, he began seeing different lists from his bosses for shortlisting, something, he vehemently opposed.

Alex Williams disclosed that he was suspended on February 7, 2022, because he refused to dance to the “whims and caprices” of his bosses. According to him, he wrote a series of communication to the Board of Directors concerning his suspension and other things that were not going right at the entity, but nobody listens to him. LISGIS’ board is being headed by Minister Tweah.

The former LISGIS Deputy Director General, who was late Monday, November 14, evening fired from his post by President George Weah, indicated that before he could accept the call to come back to Liberia to spearhead the process as Census Project Coordinator some months ago, Min. Tweah had assured him that the Director General and others would stay away from the process because the UNFPA, and other partners were not happy with them.

He charged that with the involvement of the finance minister and the fired LISGIS’ Acting Director General, Wilmot Smith, into the short listing of applicants outside of the established norms, the sanctity of the process was going to be undermined. Commenting further, Williams noted that at an August 25th meeting he was reinstated as Census Project Coordinator.

He further accused the Minister of allegedly lying to the public that he did not receive the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (LACC) Report on LISGIS. Williams described the Minister’s assertion as “boldface lie” adding: “He needs to stop.”

“I don’t understand why people like Samuel Tweah and Wilmot Smith, who do not know the census process will choose to lie to the President and the country that the census would have begun on Friday, November 11, 2022.”

He furthered that it was impossible to begin the census on Friday, when in fact some places in Grand Bassa and Rivercess counties where enumerators have not completed training. Adding: “A huge number of other enumerators have not received their sitting fees; there was no final listing of supervisors and enumerators as of Thursday, November 10, 2022, and yet Min. Tweah and Director Smith made President Weah and the Liberian people believe that the census was possible.”

Mr. Williams disclosed that he had resigned from the government on Saturday, November 12, 2022, but was allegedly appealed to by some officials in the government, not to go public with the content of his resignation letter as the content was allegedly damaging to the image of the government.

He stated that following that conversation with those who allegedly appealed to him, he was shocked when the Presidency published on the Executive Mansion’s website that he (Alex) was fired from his position, something he described as “unfortunate.”

Among many things, he wondered the finance minister allegedly misled the President to “fire” him when he (Alex) wasn’t appointed by the President.

Williams cautioned the government to call off the census, and dismiss the ailing LISGIS Director General Francis Wreh, Wilmot Smith and Lawrence George because, according to him, “They are incompetent and corrupt.” He advised the government to redo the Census in January 2023. By Seykajipo Amegashie 0777594750/0880554136