- President Weah has come under severe pressure with urgent calls for the dismissal of his disgraced officials.Calls for the dismissal of the officials continue to reverberate from across the country including citizens, civil society, religious groups and the opposition community.
On August 15, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated the three Liberian officials for their alleged role in public corruption in Liberia. These officials, Nathaniel McGill, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, Liberia’s Solicitor General, and Bill Twehway, Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA) were suspended by President George Weah barely 24 hours after they were slapped with U.S. sanctions. However, President Weah has come under severe pressure with urgent calls for the dismissal of his disgraced officials. The dismissal calls continue to reverberate from across the country including citizens, civil society, religious groups and the opposition community.
The OFAC, stated that the Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. It pointed out that corruption has eaten into Liberia’s democracy and its economy, robbing the Liberian people of funds for public services. It has also encouraged illicit activities ruining the business environment and the rule of law and governance in the country.
The sanctions imply that all property and interests in property of these officials that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. Additionally, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or are also blocked. It also prohibits all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.
The sanction comes at a critical time when President Weah is preparing to join other African leaders for the US -Africa Summit for Democracy in Washington D.C. this December.
Also read;
https://trendsnafrica.com/us-warns-liberia-of-losing-us-assistance-if-tip-not-amended/
https://trendsnafrica.com/liberias-domestic-debt-at-record-high/
