Published: October 20, 2025
KAKATA, Margibi County — Representative Ellen Attoh-Wreh of Margibi County third electoral district is facing mounting criticism from members of a local women’s organization, who accuse her of failing to deliver on a pre-election promise of financial and business empowerment.
The women, many of whom campaigned for Attoh-Wreh in the 2023 legislative elections, say they feel “robbed” of their votes over what they describe as a “fake promise.”
The women, expressing their concerns through their organization, United Women Organization, a solidarity group of more than 200 women who meet weekly to contribute some amount of money each to support their respective small businesses and others, alleged that they were given “empowerment tickets” during the campaign but the fulfillment of the promise remains a distant reality so far.
According to them, the tickets symbolized a commitment from the lawmaker to provide start-up goods and financial assistance once elected.
Nearly two years later, the women say they have received no support.
“We were promised that our small businesses would be empowered after the election,” said Sarah Johnson, a member of the group. “We campaigned, we voted, and we waited. But since then, we have seen nothing — not even a bag of rice.”
Group leader Pauline Pearl expressed frustration, saying the women feel deceived.
“They gave us tickets and said they would empower us, but now they don’t know us,” Pearl said. “As they always say, after election comes selection.”
According to Pearl, the group abandoned their daily activities to campaign for Attoh-Wreh, hoping she would champion women’s empowerment and small business initiatives, particularly for single mothers and elderly women.
Tenneh Rogers, the group’s spokesperson, said members remain united despite the disappointment. “For these tickets, we stood under the sun and rain. Some of us even got injured,” Rogers said.
The women claim repeated efforts to engage the lawmaker have gone unanswered, calling the situation “a betrayal of trust” and “a stain on women’s representation in leadership.”
In a surprising turn, former Margibi District #3 representative candidate Dr. John S. Smith Jr., who contested against Attoh-Wreh in 2023, recently stepped in to assist the disenchanted women. Dr. Smith reportedly donated empowerment packages, including bags of rice, gallons of vegetable oil, cartons of soap, bags of caustic soda, and cash, to over 30 members of the organization.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Dr. Smith said his gesture was not politically motivated but driven by compassion. “Our mothers and sisters deserve sincerity, not empty promises,” he said. “Leadership should mean service — not deception. This small gesture is just a way of restoring hope and dignity.”
He further urged the women to make wise decisions in future elections, emphasizing accountability in leadership.
“It is better you vote for a son or daughter whom you can hold accountable,” he said. “But in this case, who can we complain to?”
When contacted, Representative Attoh-Wreh acknowledged distributing empowerment tickets before the election but attributed the delay to limited resources.
“My salary cannot do everything,” she said. “The empowerment process is ongoing. We are working through the Women’s Legislative Caucus US$1 million Women Empowerment Project by UN Women in partnership with WONGOSOL, which will provide business skills training before disbursing funds.”
Attoh-Wreh called for patience, assuring the women that she has not forgotten them and continues to support empowerment efforts across the district.
Political observers say the controversy could damage the lawmaker’s reputation, especially given her role as Chairperson of the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia, a position that places her at the forefront of advocating for women’s empowerment across the country.
Discussion about this post