ULAA – New Leaders, Same Old Political Hustling

Posted March 25, 2022
 
Diaspora Liberians react to ULAA’s Invitation extended to Nathaniel McGill, Minister of Sates for Presidential Affairs, Republic of Liberia

Every year hundreds of Liberians in the Americas earn some form of higher education, get promoted into higher echelon on their jobs, start businesses, innovate, invest, and create great news that makes the name Liberia proud. Every year hundreds of Liberians apply to western embassies for an opportunity to partake in a system where hard work, truth, and honesty pay off.

Every year hundreds of Liberians masquerading as the leader to bring about change deceive their fellow Liberians and use these positions for selfish calculated political opportunity to partake and squander Liberia’s resources. These masqueraders are seen in every sector and form of associations, organizations, groups, etc. of Liberians residing in the Americas, preying upon a nation of people who have resulted to hope that the savior promised is the next hand that is raised. The de facto mother of all Liberian groups in the Americas, the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas ULAA has once again fallen prey to self-centered political opportunists.

Seeing and hearing daily of the sorrow invoking conditions of our beloved countrymen, women, and children in Liberia endured to feed their children, pay their tuitions, and provide just the minimum conducive atmosphere for their children and loved ones to partake in the basic essentials of life (food, water, shelter, clothing, and medically necessary health care, including but not limited to health-related treatment or activities, hygiene, medication, and safety) in the modern age, Liberians of all work of life and various interest are frustrated and disappointed, to say the least. Yet, at every opportunity, these Liberians’ hope, and trust are cajoled and blandished by leaderships like the newly elected ULAA leaders.

The newly elected ULAA leaders who campaigned to advocate as a voice of the voiceless has chosen to be a voice of the bully, corrupt, and murderous regime. ULAA newly elected president J. Shiwoh Kamara has chosen to promote and justify the piss poor Weah lead CDC government crimes against the Liberian people. In a nation where every positive gain of the international community to better the living conditions of the citizens has been reversed and every institution that serves the everyday Liberian is being used as a reward center for corrupt CDC party loyalists, Liberians are living in servitude in their own country and have only a few options.

Options of standing to the gates of these criminal demigods for an opportunity to beg for daily subsidies to put food on the table for their children to eat, the option of encouraging their young ones to allow their bodies to be sexually violated and exploited for a chance to get a job, or to put clothes on their backs, the option of being controlled by political gang leaders and serve as battle criers to avoid going to bed on an empty stomach, the option of becoming morally corrupt by partaking in the criminal enterprise of promoting illegal drugs, prostitution, and bribery to list a few, or the option of calling a friend or family member who resides in the diaspora to beg for financial assistance to pay school fees, buy food, afford transportation, hospital fees, and the chance to not live as a refugee in their own country.

Mr. Kamara, these are the millions of voiceless. The likes of President Weah, Minister McGill, and the rest of their cronies who have become multi-millionaires through stealing from the Liberia people and have preferred to be proudly referred to as walking ATMs amid massive government corruption, glaring poverty, and suffering are not voiceless. Unless you and your leadership consider the cries of the millions of Liberians to be “unnecessary bickering” and their cry for justice and accountability is drowning out the merry-making laughs of these excuses of leaders.

By presenting what should have been viewed as a unifying platform promoting the strides of hard work, benefits of good, orderly, and discipline governance, and the benefits of a government that promotes transparency and accountability, the very staples you enjoy living in the diaspora, you have instead offered up your leadership to serve as a pulpit to spread the message of corruption pays.

ULAA’s invitation to Minister Nathaniel McGill is not just an affront to Liberians living in the diaspora who have to work odd jobs and extra shifts to provide daily essentials for struggling families and love ones residing in Liberia, it is an insult to the very country who have provided Liberians the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a society where government officials in the like of Minister McGill who give account for how they can afford to bury their mother in a mausoleum or a mansion when a couple of years prior they could not afford to pay a monthly living rent. It is an insult and a slap in the face of international donors who pour in millions of dollars annually and the daily living conditions of Liberian masses keep deteriorating.

What does an unaccountable Minister McGill get to lecture the diaspora about? What are some of the topics and pressing issues Minister McGill going to highlight? Is Minister McGill going to lecture the diaspora on any of the following: Corruption pays and I’m a living example, how to audition for a Liberian government position in the diaspora, how to make auditors remain silent, the benefits of a politically governed judicial system, how to make a dictator, don’t be afraid of US Congress, they are all a bluff?

It is disappointing and disheartening that ULAA leadership has chosen the path to award bad governance. Liberia deserves better, Liberians deserve better. It would be the right thing to do and retract Minister McGill’s ULAA invitation. Diaspora Liberians are held accountable. Diaspora Liberians’ goal is to develop a nation where everyone including government officials is subject to accountability. Is the present ULAA leadership already auditioning to partake in the looting of Liberia’s resources? Minister McGill’s invitation inviting him to attend ULAA’s program is a slap in the face to all who believe in good governance, oversight, accountability, and the pillars of good leadership. Let ULAA leadership lead by example, do the right thing, and become the voice of the voiceless. Revoke Minister McGill’s ULAA invitation.

Signed:

David Moore

Nyaquoi Bowman

Yahsyndi Martin

Zoey Wright

Steve Bolay

Julius Brown

Abraham Doedeh

Thomas Asumana

Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh

Emmanuel Savice

Jerome Verdier