MONROVIA — Nimba County Senator Nya D. Tweyen, a key figure within the Unity Party Alliance, has fiercely condemned the recent dismissal of nine employees from the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), demanding their immediate reinstatement. The senator, a staunch ally of President Joseph Boakai, criticized the terminations as unjust, unconstitutional, and politically motivated.
By Gibson Gee, with The Liberian Investigator
The dismissals followed a directive from the Civil Service Agency (CSA), headed by Director Josiah Joekai, which called for the removal of the employees due to their alleged involvement in a “deadly social media campaign” targeting senior public officials, particularly President Boakai. During a press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICAT), Joekai claimed that the employees’ actions had severely damaged the MCC’s reputation. He asserted that their conduct was “incompatible with the status of the employees in question” and warranted immediate termination.
Among those fired were Alpha G. Gray, the Public Relations Officer in the Press & Public Affairs Department, and Boye Kokoi, a Revenue Agent in the Revenue Management Department. Both are known members of the Opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), a factor that has further escalated the political tensions surrounding the dismissals.
In his response, Senator Tweyen sharply criticized the CSA’s reliance on its Standing Order to justify the firings, arguing that it was a continuation of the previous administration’s misuse of governmental authority. He emphasized that the order had been misapplied in the past and that its current use under the Boakai administration was equally flawed.
“I call for the immediate reinstatement of these civil servants, who were wrongfully dismissed under a misinterpretation of the CSA Standing Order, the same order that was misused by the last government,” Tweyen declared. He maintained that the dismissals were not only unlawful but also a blatant violation of the employees’ right to freedom of speech.
“It was wrong yesterday, wrong today, and will be wrong tomorrow,” Tweyen asserted, underscoring that no law or standing order should override the constitutional rights guaranteed to all Liberians. He warned that this decision sets a dangerous precedent, one that could stifle dissent and silence voices critical of the government.
Senator Tweyen’s call for reinstatement goes beyond the immediate case, representing a broader push to protect civil liberties in Liberia. “No law or standing order supersedes the freedom of speech of all Liberians as enshrined in our Constitution,” he argued, urging the MCC and CSA to correct what he described as a grave injustice.
The incident has ignited widespread debate, with many questioning the balance between enforcing discipline within the civil service and safeguarding government employees’ right to express their views. As the controversy continues to unfold, attention is focused on whether the MCC and CSA will heed Senator Tweyen’s demands and reverse the controversial decision.
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