Opposition Coalition Remains ‘Tight-Lip’

– Over US$962Million Loan Agreements

By R Joyclyn Wea

The newly established opposition coalition is said to be ‘tight-lip’ regarding the controversial US$962 million loan agreement signed by the legislature in less than three days.

Recently, three political parties in Liberia (Alternative National Congress, Unity Party and Liberty party) joined hands in marriage up to 2023 in order to hold the George Weah led government accountable for among other things breach of constitution and to speak on national issues.

Speaking at a press conference intended to address wide range of national issues on June 11, 2018 at the ANC headquarters in Sinkor, an executive of the Coalition and Chairman of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Horatio Gould refused to respond to the recently passed US$962 loan by the House of Representatives.

It can be recalled on last Thursday the same being the day the EBOMAF loan agreement was passed, the coalition through one of its executive members and Former Director of the National Investment Commission (NIC), George Wisner announced the cancellation of the press conference previously organized by the coalition at a later date to be announced on grounds that a new development had sparked out and needed to be included in some of the issues going to be discussed by the coalition.

“We are sorry members of the press that we cannot continue with the press conference today because we are hearing that the house has also passed another agreement, the EBOMAF loan agreement which is a major issue that needs to be addressed,” Wisner told reporters.

According to him, they were waiting on their sources from the capitol to give detail information regarding the loan scheme so as to also respond to said matter but sadly this was not mentioned in the coalition first statement to the public on national issue of the country.

Gould asserted that the coalition is a conglomeration of responsible political parties that would not shy away from it responsibility.

He noted that the coalition is not against loan intended to build the country but said the coalition is scrutinizing the US$962 loan deal and would release it position at the consequent time.

The ANC chairman further stated that the coalition will respond to that effect but ensuring it has the appropriate legal backing.

Accordingly, the coalition condemned recent statement by the Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor noting that the most sacred duty of elected officials is to uphold the law.

They hold that the solemn oath when taking office is to “defend and protect the constitution” quoting article 18 of the 1986 constitution of Liberia which states “all Liberian citizens shall have equal opportunity for work and employment regardless of sex, creed, religion, ethnic background, place of origin or political affiliation, and all shall be entitled to equal pay for equal work.

The three political parties have been major collaborators since the October 10, 2017 Presidential and Representative elections that witnessed the taken to court of the National Elections Commission (NEC) by the opposition Liberty Party who contested among other thing fraud, and constitutional bridge.

Following the court process which delayed the second round of voting between the former ruling establishment Unity Party (UP) and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) the standard bearers of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the Liberty Party (LP) hold back from pledging support to either the CDC nor the UP who was one of their partners in their struggle for justice or redress in the conduct of the 2017 elections by the NEC.

UP who came second to the George Weah CDC has been a major contender in the body politics of Liberia and has a record of winning elections.