— Set to Review Concession Agreements, & War Crimes Count Establishment Top Agenda
IPNEWS: Continuing weeks of speculation over who are the presumptive movers and shakers expected to surface within the Joseph N. Boakai’s cabinet, close associates and inner cycles of the President-elect hints the authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper the President-elect Joseph N. Boakai is expected to name seventeen senior government positions immediately after his inauguration slated for January 24, 2024.
A source tells IPNEWS, that inasmuch as the president-elect seem not to be letting his decision loose to the public, eight cabinet members, four managing Directors and heads of security Agencies are expected to be name on inaugural night.
The unimpeachable source hints that retried Major-General Daniel D. Ziankahn, Jr., is the only former Minister from the Goerge Weah government expected to make a comeback.
Others expected to be appointed on inaugural are Sara Frances Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is former Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, an international development expert and Liberian pastor. She has more than 20 years of professional experience.
Hon. Fombah Sirleaf, Director, National Security Agency-NSA, a former Director of NSA and stepson of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. An international military veteran, a West Point Military graduate and served as an Operations and Training officer for the Armed Forces of Liberia, Security Analyst for the transitional government, and Principal Advisor to the President of the Republic of Liberia for all intelligence matters.
Cllr. Cooper Kruah, Minister of Justice, former Minister of the Weah’s government who was dismissed for attending a Unity Party rally while in served as Chairman of Senator Prince Johnson’s MUR in a collaboration with the UP. He’s a legal luminary with over thirty-five years in the practice of law.
Amin Modad, Minister, Ministry of Commerce, is Chairman emeritus of the Unity Party and Business executive and owner of the Bella Cassa Hotel.
Sam Gaye, Director, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), a retired Supervisory Special Agent with both the U.S. Dept of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as a former Director, Executive Protective Services, during the reign of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, played a key role in the tracking and arrest of Bout as well as another Russian, Konstantin Yaroshenko who was arrested in Monrovia in May 2010 and convicted of a drug smuggling, Senior Security Consultant for the Liberia Revenue Authority ( LRA).
Controversially, Sahr Johnny, is expected to be appointed as Director General, General Services Agency. Minister Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Sierra Leone and Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva. A career Diplomat, who moved to Cannada and formed the JNB Movement, New England Chapter, USA; Rhode Island, Canada, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, among others.
Abraham K. Kromah, Inspector General, Liberia National Police, a former Deputy Inspector General of Police (102) for Operations, who currently operates a private security firm and credited for his robust stands against terroristic acts, motorists, commercial bikes, tricyclists, and crimes generally when he served as Deputy Police Director for Operations under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Sylvester Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, a former Minister of State, and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Jacob Karba Kollie, Managing Director, National Port Authority, an influential nephew to the president-elect with little is known public service.
Prince Mulbah, Commissioner, Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, Excellent career Police Administrator and former Deputy Inspector-General of Police for Operations
Francis Nyumalin, Minister, Internal Affairs, a former Representative, district No. 1 Lofa county, and Special Project Coordinator · National Social Security & Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).
A surprised pick is Austin Fallah, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Grounded in finance, business administration, economics, leadership, and public administration, and law. Fallah is a resident of the midwest of these United States of America and a dedicated advocate for democracy, a voice for the Liberian people, a holder of several undergraduate and graduate degrees from Prestigious Universities in these United States of America.
Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, Minister, Ministry of Health, bagged a Ph.D from the University Of Liverpool, and a Panel Physician, MD, MPH Epidemiology
MacDella Cooper, Managing Director, Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation-LPRC, a Liberian politician and philanthropist. She is the Political Leader of The Movement for One Liberia (MOL)
John Morlu Jr., Auditor General, former auditor General of Liberia during the Ellen Sirleaf government, The CEO & Chief Strategist John Morlu-Accounting Firm, Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S.A. with over 20+ years of technical and professional experience in auditing, financial management, accounting and consultancy.
Dr. Urey Yarkpawolo, Managing Director, Roberts International Airport, a academician and former vice running mate to Taiwan Gongloe, presidential aspirant of the Liberia People’s Party (LPP).
“I have seen our resources exploited and the life of the people remains the worse,” Boakai said
Last month, Liberian President-elect Joseph Boakai, who defeated President George Weah in the Nov. 14 presidential runoff, stated that his administration will take a close look at mining concessions to ensure they benefit the country.
Boakai, 78, a former vice president who lost to Weah in the 2017 runoff and campaigned on a promise to “rescue” Liberia, told Reuters in an interview on Sunday evening that he expected a lot of challenges, particularly with the economy.
“The first step of rescuing Liberia is taking it from these people. It has been rescued. The next thing is to deal with the issues that have being hanging over this country,” Boakai said, citing corruption and lack of basic services.
Boakai said a key area from which Liberians had not benefited was the mining sector, despite the West African country’s rich mineral reserves, including diamonds, gold, iron ore and timber.
“To be frank with you, the mining sector has been one of the problems in this country. I have seen our resources exploited and the life of the people remains the worse,” Boakai said, adding that he would take a close look at the sector.
Asked if this would include reviewing mining concessions, Boakai said reviews would be pursued if warranted.
“We have to, because we are inheriting,” he said.
Several companies operate in Liberia’s mining sector, including ArcelorMittal (MT.LU) and Bao Chico Resources in iron ore mining concessions, Bea Mountain Mining and Avesoro Resources, which operates Liberia’s first commercial gold mine in gold.
Liberia’s economy grew 4.8% in 2022, driven by gold production and a relatively good rice harvest, but more than 80% of the population still face moderate or severe food insecurity, according to the World Bank.
Establishment of War & Economic Crimes Court
Ahead of the October 10 polls in Liberia, president-elect Joseph N. Boakai, and several Liberian opposition figures promised to ensure the creation of a war and economic crimes court long called for by the international community.
The popular vote of Joseph Boakai on November 14, after neither candidate scored an absolute majority following October 10 polls, was contigent upoin the view that he is up to the task to ensure justice is served for the mass murder of more than 250,000 that people died in two civil wars between 1989 and 2003. While the bloody conflicts resulted in massacres, mutilation, rape, cannibalism and the forced recruitment of child soldiers, no trial has yet been held, but several have taken place abroad.
A Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2009 recommended the establishment of a war crimes tribunal, but this has largely gone unheeded, particularly in the name of peacekeeping as a number of accused warlords remained influential in their communities.
“We believe it is important to help Liberia move forward, to heal the nation, to put behind us this era of impunity,” said Alexander Cummings, who came fifth in the first round of the October presidential vote.
“If we should put the past behind us, the establishment of a war and economic crimes court is the beginning of that process,” he added.
