It has been said that every work we do, we are going to be paid in some forms. For those who are religiously inclined, they are often told that their reward is in heaven. So, the Bible admonishes followers of the Lord Christ to work out their salvation with fear and trembling so that their rewards will be rewarding.
On the other hand, those who are not religiously inclined or hold religion sacrosanct don’t subscribe to the theory of pay after. They always want pay for what they have labored for now.
So is the case with some partisans of the ruling Unity Party. These supporters, along with some of their alliance colleagues, have become to get agitated because what they labored for, for six years, is being “hijacked”. They say that their revolution is being taken over by people who weren’t in the trenches with them as they battled with members of the former ruling party, Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of former President George Manneh Weah. Arguably, it was a very tough six years for some members of the Unity Party.
And these UP partisans or UPians as some call themselves, have begun crying “wolf” so early– just two weeks after ascending to state power.
So, few days ago, some protestors, led by the UP party chairman, Rev. Luther Tarpeh, gathered at the President’s residence in the Rehab Community to vent out their frustration with his appointments he has made so far. While they complain that those of them who were in the trenches are being left out of the appointments or are being awarded positions that they think don’t befit their qualifications or the level of works they have done for the party, some are accusing the President that he has begun engaging in nepotism and or sectionalism.
President Boakai has so far appointed 15 ministers to head ministries including two ministers of state without portfolio. The President has given his kinsmen from his home county of Lofa five posts. One of the President’s closest allies, Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh tabulated the President’s appointments so far in this form Lofa (29.4%), Bong has four posts (23.5%), Bassa, Bomi, and Nimba have two each (35.3%) while Cape Mount and Sinoe have one each (11.7%).
Lofa – Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youths and Sports, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of State without Portfolio
Bong- Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of State without Portfolio, Ministry of Gender, Social and Children Protection
Bomi- Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Ministry of Transport
Bassa- Ministry of Health and Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Tourism
Nimba- Ministry of Justice and Ministry of National Defense
Sinoe- Ministry of State; Cape Mount- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Fifteen of the 18 cabinet ministers (83.3% of cabinet positions) appointed from seven of 15 counties (46.6% of counties).
With three cabinet ministerial appointments remaining (Mines and Energy, Labor and Post and Telecommunications), eight counties (Gbarpolu, Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Kru, Rivercess, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, and River Gee) are without Ministerial posts.
The President won Gbarpolu and Margibi in both rounds of the 2023 Presidential Election, and won Montserrado in the runoff.
The Southeast, which has six counties (Grand Gedeh, Sinoe, Maryland, Grand Kru, River Gee, and Rivercess) has received only one ministerial appointment.
Five counties (Lofa, Bong, Bassa, Nimba, and Bomi) account for 88.2% of all cabinet appointments so far.
President Boakai is on record of campaigning on having a complete and full representation of every county being on the ministerial level. So, it seems not possible to fulfill this major campaign promise at this moment.
Senator Konneh concluded by saying: “Those of us who supported President Boakai must remind him of his promises quietly and publicly when it becomes necessary to help him deliver the promises he made when he campaigned for President. Change means change!”
It seems it is the “public” reminder that those agitated UPians are now doing to call the President’s attention toward them. They want their reward now and not after. Mr. President, political pay is here on earth. You need to pay attention to your foot soldiers so that they can continually run ahead and with you.
