General News
Probe Allegation Against Robert Sirleaf
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- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 06 November 2012 01:42
- Written by The NEWS
-Lawmaker Urges Ellen
Bong County Representative George Mulbah has called on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to order a probe into allegation of dual citizenship brought against Mr. Robert Sirleaf, Chairman of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL).
He said the probe is necessary to establish whether or not the allegation made by District #6 Representative Edwin Snowe is true.
Representative Mulbah made the call Monday when he addressed a news conference in Monrovia on crucial national issues.
Reacting to statement made by Distract #6 Representative Snowe that he recently negotiated for oil bloc on behalf of Gazprom, Rep. Mulbah said his colleague was wrong to negotiate for oil concession on behalf of a company.
The Bong County Representative said he does not support the idea that Lawmakers should lobby for oil bloc on behalf of foreign firms.
Last Tuesday, Representative Snowe told a news conference at the Capitol building that Mr. Robert Sirleaf, Board Chairman of the National Oil Company and Senior Advisor to the President is in possession of an American passport # 2181983813 issued June 7, 2006.
He called on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to discharge Mr. Sirleaf from all activities of government and be handed over to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution on allegation that he violated the Aliens and Nationality Law of the country.
Representative Snowe’s statement, though unprecedented, contains torrent of allegations and documentary evidence that appears to justify his argument.
He alleged that the President’s son also hold a Liberian Diplomatic Passport number, D 000189, issued December 2, 2009, which puts him in a dual citizen capacity. Representative Snowe argued that the laws of Liberia do not grant dual citizenship.
He displayed and provided photo-copy of Mr. Sirleaf’ American and Liberians passports to the press.
He indicated that the possession of both American and Liberian passports is a violation of the Aliens and Nationality Law of Liberia and the Liberian Codes Revised, Vol.II: Chapter 22; Page 193.
Representative Snowe, quoting the law, asserted that a person who is a citizen of Liberia, whether by birth or naturalization, shall loose his citizenship by obtaining naturalization in a foreign state upon his own application, upon the application of a duty authorized agent, or through the naturalization of a parent having legal custody of such person; provided that citizenship shall not be lost by any person under this section as the result of the naturalization of a parent or parents while such person is under the age of 21 years, unless such person shall fail to enter Liberia to establish a permanent residence prior to his twenty-third birthday.
He also argued that Mr. Sirleaf’s possession of an America citizenship poses danger and observed that a US citizen, serving as Senior Advisor to the President of Liberia and also Chairman of NOCAL Board on pro-bono, it is possible that in the event of any dubious or advert issue against the interest of the Republic, the government will lack the authority to prosecute Mr. Sirleaf because he will take off to his country of citizenship, the United States of America.
The Lawmaker said the involvement of Mr. Sirleaf in the running of the day to day affairs of the state is like a “cancer that is creeping in as a threat to our hard-earned political dispensation.”
“When the Liberian people went to the polls to vote in 2011, we voted Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as President of the Republic of Liberia and not Mr. Robert Sirleaf,” Snowe accentuated.
The Montserrado County Representative also alleged that Mr. Sirleaf drives two bullet-proof Toyota land Cruiser vehicles with private plates and is escorted by armed officers of the Executive Protective Service (EPS).
He noted that it is important for President Sirleaf to retrospect the cases of Saddam Hussein and the involvement of his sons in running the affairs of Iraq; Col. Maummar Gaddafi and the involvement of his sons in running the affairs of Libya; Hussein Mubarak and sons in running the affairs of Egypt and Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade and his son in running the affairs of Senagal.
Addressing a press conference Monday, Representative Mulbah said the Snowe’s statement on the Gaspromz issue was an open confession which suggested that he was pursuing personal interest.
He said the reform of the oil sector which has been initiated by the National Legislature is being stalled due to personal interest by some members of House.
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