By Frank Sainworla, Jr. fsainworla@yahoo.com (FIRST PUBLISHED May 3, 2018)
It is now just over 100 days since he took office without declaring his assets as required by the National Code of Conduct law. Yet President George Manneh Weah has since been engaging in ventures such as the reroofing of homes in the Gibralta community that are depleting his undisclosed assets by hundreds of thousands of US dollars.
Shortly after his inauguration, President Weah began demolishing one of his residences on the 9th Street in Sinkor, Monrovia, which his 2015 assets declaration form valued at US$150,000.00.
Then last month (April 23, 2018), the Liberian populist President visited the Gibralta slum settlement on Monrovia’s Bushrod Island, where he grew up and announced that all the homes/houses in the area will be reroofed with immediate effect this ongoing rainy season.
Hailed by many for remembering his root, President Weah expressed special love for people of this community, which plays host to many leaking homes that have not seen rehabilitation for decades.
“The arrangement will allow community dwellers to leave their respective homes and move to either a home of friend or family member for about five months to allow construction works take place before returning home,” the President said. “The project may go slow, but will not take more than five months to have every house in the community fully re-roofed for residents to return.”
During the visit, it was not immediately clear as to whether the project is a personal one or a officially-funded project in line with his CDC-government’s “Pro-poor” agenda.
But days later, Presidential Press Secretary Sam Mannah clarified that the re-roofing of all homes in Gibralta would be funded by President Weah from his pocket.
Mr. Mannah described the swift commencement of the project a day after the visit as a promise fulfilled by the President.
According to the LACC regulations, “The LACC shall issue Asset Declaration (AD) forms that shall be completed, signed, notarized and filed in accordance with Section 10.2 of the National Code of Conduct (NCoC) by all persons occupying the following positions: the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive—President, Vice President, cabinet ministers and other officials.”
Since President Weah has not taken the lead, the rest of his officials are yet to fulfill this legal mandate, although Information Minister Eugene Nagbe said some time ago that the President has not refused to comply but was putting his papers together.
The total number of houses to be covered by the reroofing exercise in the Gibralta community in Clara town is put at 400. This is something that would cost the pocket of the President quite a bit from his personal assets, which the Liberian people are yet to know. Neither do they know the liabilities of their 52-year-old leader.
Breakdown of the cost
Having undertaken similar reroofing (only replacement of the zinc) of my two-bedroom home in 2017, this Reporter is quite informed of such operation. One bundle of fairly durable alloy zinc costs US$75-85, with a two-bedroom house taking about six bundles of zinc.
US$75.00 multiplied by six bundles of zinc will cost at least US$450 per each home.
With the estimated number of houses/homes put at four hundred, it would cost President Weah a total of US$180,000.00, a price tag higher than one of his residences stated in his 2005 assets declaration submitted to the National Elections Commission.
The President 9th Street residence valued at US$150,000 has now been effectively wiped off the balance sheet, with the demolition of the building shortly after his January 22, 2018 inauguration. That means a total of US$330,000 will have been debited from the Liberian leader’s assets by the time the Gibralta roofing project is completed.
Regarding the cost of the workmanship for the roofing of each of the 400 houses, it would sum up to at least US175 per house, thus putting the total cost of workmanship/labour cost at US$70,000.00.
Therefore, the Gibralta homes reroofing project is set to cost the Liberian leader at least US$400,000.00. But that will be if the work will include only replacing the roofing sheets. Given what is seen on the ground so far, the cost is however sure to be much higher, as work on some of the homes also include replacing the timber with new ones.
Now, with the duration of the reroofing project set for five months, one can safely conclude that the Gibralta venture plus President Weah’s demolition of his 9th Street residence will deplete his undisclosed assets by an estimated US$550,000.00 by July this year, the CDC government’s self-imposed deadline for declaration of assets by officials.
First Lady Madam Clar Weah said during the visit to Gibralta that the President remains appreciative and will never forget Gibraltar.
“In life as we progress, it is important to remember or to know where you came from and who you are.
“That’s basically what makes your President (George M. Weah), my husband special because he has not forgotten where he came from,” the First Lady said.
In Part 5 Section 5.2 (1) of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) Act of 2008 it is an “obligation to file asset declaration statements” by officials of government. And Part 3 of the LACC Final Regulation deems that it is an infringement for any official to refuse to submit asset declaration.
President Weah’s apparent reluctance to come forward with his asset declaration has sparked serious debates in many quarters, since in fact he has said that his CDC government would be a champion of transparency and accountability.
The Vice Chairman of the opposition Liberty Party (LP), Dairus Dillon, writing on his Facebook page recently urged President Weah not to delay further in declaring his assets.
“Mr. President, you need to declare your assets. The Law mandates that you do so. You took Oath to defend, protect and respect the Constitution and Laws of Liberia. Asset Declaration AFTER taking public office is LAW. Try to lead by example!” the LP executive said.
Even before his inauguration on January 22, 2018, the Deputy Chairman of the LACC, Cllr Augustine Toe reminded then President-elect George Manneh Weah that it is important that disclose his financial worth to the Liberia people when he took office;
Toe said on the private-owned Prime FM radio in Monrovia: “We call on the president-elect and the incoming government to show their commitment to this fight by declaring their assets.’’
The anti-graft agency’s Vice Chairman further said: “I want to encourage Weah to take the lead by declaring his asset and then make it mandatory for every official coming into government to declare their asset.
According to Cllr. Toe, “This will send a clear signal across the country that Weah has taken the lead.’’
Officials in all three branches of government are mandated to declare their assets.
But so far President Weah has not budge. Not even recent protest of a hunger strike by Liberian Activist Archie Ponpon was able to pressure the Liberian President to declare his assets.
After three days of hunger strike in front of the American Embassy in Monrovia, Popon collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital, where he recovered.