PHOTO: The Author
By Joe Noutoua Wandah/Media Advocate/Contributing Writer
Since the existence of Liberia as a non-colonized but black Africa’s first sovereign independent Republic, corruption has been ingrained in its political practitioners and politics!
Even as events unfolded during the course of this nation’s 14 years of brutal civil war, which caused the deaths of about 250,00 people, according to United Nations estimate, the corruption trend continued.
Accordingly, traditional values have been relegated to the backseat and impunity has become the order of the day.
The bone of contention in today’s Liberia has to do with the gold burst said to be in the tune of 13 trillion United States dollars in 2025, which made Liberia to become the new global destination for illegal gold mines, with Liberia losing billions yearly to these illegal miners, of course aided by Liberian in all parts of the hinterland!
Latest revelations from the Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon. Martenakay Tengbah citizens of the northwestern Gbapolu County obstructed government operations, when the Ministry alongside the Liberia National Police moved into that gold-rich enclave to arrest some Chinese nationals who are bent on illegally mining in that part of Liberia. Their illegal operations deny the people of Liberia their just royalties by putting out traditional mask dancers (country devils) in preventing government operations!
According to the Minister, the Liberian government has decided to crack down on all illegal mining operations in the country, especially with those foreigners who (with the help of some top notch government officials) engage into these illegal criminal mining; thus refusing to pay to the Liberian revenue those requisite revenues for the benefits of the entire nation!
Investigations have also shown that sons and daughters of major mining counties are those ones with the help of some higher-ups in government importing citizens of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinean and others nationals under the guise of bringing them to engage into farming.
But in reality, they are illegal miners who are illegally in the South East of Liberia precisely in the reserves Sapo national park, Nimba, Gbapolu, Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties involved with the destruction of those forest and animal reserves, digging large pits endlessly, polluting waterways and obstructing farming!
They are mining gold and diamonds for our so-called big people in government and more of our traditional actors are engaged with their corrupt activities In addition to this, they are desecrating our traditional norms with putting outside those marks dancers!
Those traditional mask dancers according to the Liberian traditions only come outside when important rituals about to take place! Using these marks dancer (country devils) to scare laws enforcement officers from carry on their lawful duties are tantamount to obstructing the implementation of the laws which Liberians often say this Country is a country of law!
Why have custodians of the Liberian traditional heritages now abusing those spaces given them and preventing illicit foreign miners exploiting our natural resources?
It is so disgusting, to see in this dispensation all facets of the Liberian society now dancing into this age old problems with corruption, especially misusing Liberian tradition (country devils) to obstructionism!
What has happened to the council of Chiefs and elders of this Country who the government ought to look to for guidance, members of their various communities now have joined into the corruptions ban wagon?
In almost all these mining counties, town and quarter Chiefs as well as district commissioner are reportedly on the payrolls of government officials who are conniving with these foreign illegal miners in their respective counties!
This has and continues to show those weaknesses of Liberians in which corruptions are known to be a national security problem that got no absolute cure’s because no one to trust any longer within the length and breadth of Liberia!
Why would a Nation such as Liberia, which has been blessed with 13 trillion United States dollars-worth of gold, allow few of her sons and daughters to steal what belongs to the entire population?
This criminal mindedness that has taken center-stage in Liberia daily, as some citizens are rendering this Nation a self-seeking people who have absolutely no plans for this and the unborn generations!
Deceptively, Liberians killed armed robbers and rouge (pick pocket) when they steal! But when those of us wearing suits steal we are hailed to the highest heavens, because we benefit from those crumbs which dropped from their tables, and because they are our tribal person or so-called political leaders or members!
The Liberian society has fallen prey to her own sons and daughter’s because of personal greed and gain leaving millions dying quietly in their towns and villages because of the lack of better medical facilities, better educational services, etc!
If the Liberia traditional leaders fail the Nation, who then can Liberians turn to for total independence of their survivals?