-As new corps of officials inducted into office
By Christopher Yarwoe, tam.yarwoe106@gmail.com
Buchanan–The Magisterial Court in Liberia’s port city Buchanan, Grand Bassa County has lifted an injunction on the Civil Society Council of the country, clearing the way for the holding of election for a new corps of officiers.
The court placed the injunction in November 2018, after a complaint was filed by some members of the civil society organizations that the Regional and County Chairperson Madam Martha Treh was operating in violation of the constitution of the CSO to hold the election.
According to the letter of complaint, the tenure of the County Chairperson was over and wanted to carry the organization to election. The second violation was she was taking the council to election without an established election commission.
According to the letter, members of the CSOs in the county were calling for the establishment of an interim body to take them to election.
The former Interim Secretary General Samuel Wilson said the court called for a conference with the two bodies and established that the claims were legitimate.
Meanwhile, officials of the Bassa Chapter of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia have been inducted into office in Buchanan.
The induction ceremony took place at the weekend at the office of the Bassa Women Development Association (BAWODA) on the Fairgrounds in Buchanan.
Those inducted into offices were Mr. NK Barley Tokpa – Chairman, Oretha Paygar – Co Chairman and Jackson Willie – Secretary General.
Others were: Ahamadu Zwannah – Assistant Secretary General, Buntee Lee – Financial Secretary and Julie Flanjay – Treasurer.
They were inducted into offices by the Chairman of the Zonal Council of Buchanan, Rev. John B. Z. Gayman.
Members of the civil society organizations elected their new officials to steer the affairs of the organization for the next three years.
Mr. Wilson said the court instructed that they should set up an interim body to take them to election. Working on the instruction from the court, Mr. Wilson said, the election was held on January 7, 2019 in Buchanan which brought Mr. KN Barley Tokpa and his core of officers to the spotlight of leadership.
Speaking at the induction program, the Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr.. Charles N’Tow, urged the leadership to be peace builders. “If there was a time for unity in the country, now will be that time”, the Former Minister said.
Mr. N’Tow called on them to speak together so that their message would be heard. He urged the chairman to be transparent, reason and work together and dedicate trust to others in the organization.
The Former Youth and Sports Minister said despite others might have gone against him during the time of the campaign, but right now he should see himself as the leader of all his colleagues and even those who vehemently opposed him, stood against him and even up to now, he should see himself as the leader of all of them.
He told members of the civil society organization that the duty of citizens is to question those who lead them in order to keep them accountable but not to disrespect their leaders.
According to him, it is the responsibility of the civil society organizations to do the right thing not the wrong thing against the government.
“Our economy is now stressed, the rule of law is being tested beyond our honest imagination, our integrity institutions are crumbling under the wings of induced compromises and unacceptable demand while the investment portfolio continues to diminish as we struggle to build and maintain trust in our economy”, the Former Minister said.
“In such a challenging times, fast space and political demanding environment where typical state institutions are barely weak,” Hon. N’Tow said, “it is part of the job of the civil society to help bridge the gap between the people and those who govern them.”
In remarks, the Chairman of the CSO, Mr. KN Barley Tokpa said for the institution to regain public trust and confidence under the new team of leaders that is to serve the organization, they have to draw a clear line between political parties and civil society organizations.
“We cannot be civil society at the same time be an active member of a political party, with the aim of using our institution to do political works. Let me sound this warning loud and clear, every member of this organization has its free will to do what she or he would want to do but the council will not sit idle to allow its reputation to be brought into question”, Chairman Tokpa stated.
He said they will work with the county leadership to find solutions to some of the pressing needs affecting the lives of the people. They include: health care, unemployment, education, gender based issues among others, are some of the most top priorities and they need to cooperation of all to enable them succeed.
The Chairman clarified that these are no political party issues so the interest of the county should be above self-seeking egocentric interest.
Also speaking at the induction program, the Superintendent of Grand Bassa County, Hon. Janjay Baikpeh congratulated the new leadership of the CSO and urged them to serve well.
Hon. Baikpeh told the body that civil society organizations were not meant to function just to only criticize government or government officials. According to the Superintendent, civil society organizations were meant to function to right the wrong in any area in society.
“Today in our history Mr. Guest Speaker,” Superintendent Baikpeh said, “the civil society organizations are speaking only criticizing government officials.”
“That is not why civil society organization was formed for”, the Superintendent said. “They are not just to criticize to government officials, oh yes! We take those criticisms; criticisms make us strong to be to where we supposed to be tomorrow and to be to where we are today,” he added.
“But at the dawn part where you sit and close your eyes as civil society when people are very disrespectful and you think we going to work along with me, that’s not how we going to work civil society organization,” Hon. Baikpeh cautioned.
The Superintendent told the civil society that they are there to erect check points not to government officials only. He called upon the civil society organizations to broaden their scope of operation not just on government officials only but should look at the entire society where hate messages are going all over the places.
The program brought together officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), the Project Management Committee (PMC), Bassa Youth Caucus (BYC), and the Association of Grand Bassa Media Network (AGBAMNET), among others.