Former Mayor Koijee Responds To Controversial Dismissals At The MCC

Former City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee
has for the first time spoken out about the controversial dismissals saga at the Monrovia City Corporation.

In his official statement, The former City Mayor among other things outlined several
gross human rights violations ranging from police murders against innocent Liberians, grand corruption, and sexual and gender-based violence.

According to him, the Civil Service Agency has alledgelly conspired with the Monrovia City Government and dismissed legally employed Liberians who did not commit institutional crimes, nor external threats that posed harm to the employment of the Monrovia City Government.

“Before those dismissals, we were informed that Mr. Boakai had mandated the CSA Boss and the Monrovia City Mayor to dismiss scores of Liberians as a grand-plot, but with initial dismissals of nine employees of the City Government”, he further disclosed and alleged.

Mr. Koijee described the dismissals as counterproductive to addressing the unemployment crisis in Liberia and also undermines the very fundamental ideas on which he said Mr. Boakai campaigned to rescue Liberia.

At the same time he considered these dismissals as instruments of chaos to dividing Liberia in a post-election environment.

“Fellow Liberians, the Mayor of Monrovia has proven his sheer incompetence that he is unable to govern the state affairs of Monrovia—which has directly impacted the risk and vulnerability among those dismissed and those who do not share the same political sentiments with the Unity Party, yet aspire to contribute to national development and growth”, the statement added.

He pointed out that it is even saddening enough that those who used propaganda to argue governance under President Weah are now authoring a system of political witchhunts and violating the constitution of the Republic of Liberia.

The former City major encouraged the dismissed employees to endeavor to test the court system of Liberia as their alternative is to seek asylum outside of Liberia—because in his opinon their dismissals were commissioned alledgely by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who sits at the highest office in our state.

Explaining further ,he inidcated that a few weeks ago when Mike Jabateh, a man who claims to be a Russian spy, threatened to pay Liberians US$1,000 to murder a sitting Representative—the rule of law was nowhere, as Mike Jabateh still goes to work today and survives on the Liberian people’s economy.

Even after Mike Jabateh’s life-threatening plot against Hon. Yekeh Kolubah, we saw Mr. Jabateh walk to Boakai for a photo courtesy in honor of his accomplished threat towards Hon. Yekeh.

Additionally, in the Presence of a National Budget alteration, Mr. Boakai sits idle while still dismissing Liberians”, he noted.

He alleged that the Liberian leader is known for being caught violating the tenure positions of public officials, when the Supreme Court ruled against him for violating the law on tenured positions on April 24, 2024, and demanded that reinstate those dismissed, he went about suspending them and masterminding the reduction of the Judiciary budget as a retaliation to strangulate the supreme court of Liberia through its budgetary allotment.

According to him, Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, deeply frowned at the President’s disregard for the basic rule of law.

Koijee stressed that the action of Mayor Siafa to have dismissed those nine employees risked their lives in Liberia, because when someone is illegally dismissed he/she sees it as a threat to not just their economic well-being but their protection of state security.

“These People were only dismissed because Mr. Boakai feels insulted as a sitting president, but we must note that the dismissals spark national security concerns ranging from the protection of those dismissed, their children, and external families respectively “, he noted.

The former City major said to have dismissed innocent Liberians on the grounds of social media posts is an utter political target against not just those dismissed but their wives and children.

Under President Boakai’s administration the Secretary General of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change, Koijee believes that Liberians can no longer use social media to disagree on policy and leadership issues and when they do that , it warrants an immediate dismissal.

He stressed that it is however a shame to see the country’s highest office accusing Liberians of insulting the president.

He also alleged that President Boakai is hastily cracking down on democracy in his old age and leaving a generation hopeless.

Additionally, the dismissals, he inidcated has reawakened a potential prevalence of conflict among Liberians and those who once saw Mr. Boakai as a rescue figure.

Making specific reference to constitutional issues he said Article 18 of the constitution of Liberia explicitly prohibits dismissal based on partisanship, tribe, creed, and other discriminatory factors, the Mayor’s willful aberration, abrogation, and circumvention of due process by not allowing the affected employees to be heard in at least preliminary investigation, further infringes and impugns on the rights and reputation of the affected employees, he said.

Moreover, The Mayor he claimed ignored the Decent Work Act of 2015 also supersedes MCC’s HR Policy by placing his reliance on the outdated Labor Law, citing sections 1508, subsection 6c of the labor law as a basis for his unwarranted action.

At the same time Koijee pointed out that the recommendation and subsequent pronouncement by the Director General of Civil Service Agency for the immediate dismissal of employees of the Monrovia City Government is a clear violation of the Charter supporting the Autonomy of the City Government to manage its personnel outside of the Central Government as required by Law.

He alleged that the decision by the Mayor amounts to politicization of the Monrovia City Government on a partisan basis against the mandate of residents of the City and the Act creating the Monrovia City Government, and it has the proclivity of scaring away donors and international development partners including foreign embassies near Monrovia.

Furthermore, he added that the repealing of specific sections of the penal laws, including sections 11.11 (criminal libel against the president), 11.12 (sedition), and 11.14 (criminal malevolence), means that employees cannot be penalized for actions that are no longer legally actionable.

“However, may I inform Mr. Boakai that when I became the youngest Mayor in the history of Liberia, apart from being gaslighted with malicious lies about my person; today in History, I stand prepared to welcome my accusers with their so-called empirical evidence to prove me right or wrong, I am also yet to see my so-called victims’ families, yet my accusers today are top-notch government officials in the UP regime. Is Koijee still responsible for the continuous mysterious deaths in our country”, he narrated.

According to him, as Mayor he ensured to retain partisans of the Unity Party stating that his presence at the Monrovia City Government was no threat to the survivability of the people of Liberia.

“Whether you were Unity Party Partisans, ANC, or LP, I saw everyone as Liberians where we could all work together and contribute to the ordinance of our city and While in the employment of MCC, there were UP fanatics who expressed their deep political opinions, but I upheld the rights of those employees under the principle of the constitution of Liberia and when I worked for MCC as Mayor, I worked as a Mayor for all of the people of Monrovia and not as a CDC Mayor, unlike what we see in recent times under Mayor Siafa “his statement further said.

It would interest you to note that the current superintendent of Montserrado County, Mr. Whroway Bryant (a good friend and brother of mine) worked as Public Relations Officer in the employ of MCC—while working with me he served as Unity Party Youth Chairperson and operationalized his Party mandates, additionally, a passionate young Liberian girl, Madam Asata Dukuly who was also a staunch supporter of the Unity Party also worked for the MCC under my watch.

Furthermore, I as the then Mayor retained the following Unity Party Partisans from 2018-2023:

1. Joyce S. Kandakai —- Human Resource Director
2. Varney Paasawee —- Manager – Revenue Department
3. Wleemongar James —— Comptroller – Finance Department
4. Cain Prince Andrews — Director General for Internal Operations
5. Kenneth Harris —— Director Monrovia City Police
6. Hilary Womba —— Manager – Human Resource Department
7. Lauramae Gabbidon —- Head – Sales & Marketing
8. F. Oliver Williyan —— Director – Solid Waste Southern Region
9. Joyce Wantue —- Manager – MCC Facility
10. Decontee Stryker —- Director – General Services Department
11. Kpanry Cole ——- Assistant Director for Operations – Monrovia City Police
12. Eva Y. Holder —- Director – Procurement Department
13. Abraham B.Y. Jusu Garneo —- Director General for Service Program Head of Solid Waste
14. Rashi Kla Tallawford — Head – MOVCOM / MCC Fleets
15. Success K. Harris – Head —- IT UNIT PIU now Director General for Service Program
16. Late Zubahyea Flomo —— Director – Community Service Department
17. Late Jacob Walker —— Director – Press & Public Relations Department
18. Boye Robertson —- Director – City Planning Department
19. Sayetta Kpadeh——- Director, Environmental Health & Safety Department
20. The late Vallai Mahmud Dorley, my very good friend and brother, served as the Director of the Economic Policy Unit.

These retained individuals worked in strategic positions and were never dismissed due to their affiliation with the Unity Party. Under my watch as Mayor, I did not witch-hunt anyone.

These people had uncommon access to professional capacity-building opportunities to leverage and we exposed them to foreign travels.

Even in our greater humility, we also appointed the current LBS Director’s (Eugene L. Fahgon) sister in person Doris Faghon who was a unity partisan, who was later promoted to Director of Community Service of MCC.

Our party stood with these employees and saw them as their own to the progress of Liberia and Monrovia.

Unlike again, under the watch of Mr. Boakai who sees the illegal dismissals of our compatriots as a rescue political agenda that only intends to devour the peace of our nation.

Drawing the international community attention towards the ongoing issue, he said that these dismissals not only concern Liberia’s domestic politicking but also have the potential risk of undermining the long-lasting relationship the Country share with diplomatic missions in Liberia and the business environments.

He lamented that there is no sustainable peace when the very citizens who fought for our democracy are dismissed from their jobs when they are supposed to be caring for their households with monthly incomes.

Koijee said when the government targets innocent Liberians, sometimes the alternative is citizen action which can deeply hurt the peace of the society.

“We do not pray or wish for a dark day in Liberia, nor do we sit in the position to undermine the peace of this country.

Still, this very government is a burden to this peace we fought for over the past years of regime accomplishment under the CDC-led government”, he said .

Koijee said Article 25 (c) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, everyone has the right to have access, in general terms of equality, to public service in his/her country.

According to him and in the presence of international communities, President Boakai and his Unity Partisans are allegedly hunting peaceful Liberians without the rule of law and with extreme political zealotry which breaches international best practice.

“I sit here today to be on record for alerting you on the continuous pattern of constitutional disregard Mr. Boakai and his gangs are authoring. Not once, nor twice but a daily approach”, he emphasized.

He claimed that the Liberian leader alleged witch hunt is a clear indication that he is unfit to reconcile the country and lead well.

“Members of the Civil Society Organization and the religious community, when we led this country, you criticized us in some decisions we made, yet we are unable to read a single release from any of our friends in the CSO condemning the illegal dismissal of nine employees of the Monrovia City Government and We cannot exist in compromise and surrender to bad governance in these times of country—it is either we collectively contest bad leadership in our capacity as national and international stakeholders or live to bear the wrath of President Boakai’s evil deeds”,he noted.

He also used the ocassion to call on the international community to better intervene in the ongoing situation stating that as his action does not only undermine Liberia’s strive to prosperity but the very Development Corporation Agendas for our country.

“These Development Corporation Agendas, whether in areas of peacebuilding, women in leadership, or youth employment will only get unfilled with the pattern of constitutional crisis and we have kept this peace not because we are weak, we kept this peace in opposition and power, we kept this peace because we were young, and that President Boakai does not have a future as an old man and this is not what we dreamt of under an old man who should be a figure of reconciliation”, he noted.

According to him, the Liberian leader has allegedly commissioned on several occasions to plunge the country into a war such as deploying the military of the Armed Forces of Liberia to the Air Port during the arrival of President Weah, stopping the president from using the VIP lodge, and instructing the Police Support Unit to invade the private premises of the Coalition for Democratic Change.

Koijee made reference that the constitutional crack ground has been one of the reasons for a coup in West Africa.

” There continues to be an unbearable amount of regional leadership and constitutional crises that have affected countries like Mali (August 2020 and May 2021), Guinea (September 2021), and Burkina Faso (January and September 2022) , The crackdown on constitutional orders in West Africa is influenced by widespread corruption, major human rights violations, and extreme poverty among citizens cannot be overemphasized and In Nigeria, citizens rose against their government for intentionally disregarding the rule of law and lack of providing basic social services, in Kenya, there were citizens outraged by poor tax reform and bad living conditions—in Liberia, the ordinary citizens rose to resist Mr. Boakai’s greedy and self-seeking political desperados. The Time to resist President Boakai is Now or never and Liberia’s Peace is certainly bigger than President Boakai and his accomplice risky missionaries”, he concluded.