By Patrick Stephen Tokpah
MONROVIA-Former Bong County Senator Henry W. Yallah has accused Vice President Chef Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor of being an obstacle to development in Bong County.
The former Bong County lawmaker described Vice President Howard-Taylor as a major embarrassment or obstacle to the development of the county.
Former Senator Yallah, a stalwart of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) said Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor proclaims President Weah by mouth but denounces him by deeds.
Mr. Yallah furthered that Veep Taylor influenced and undermined his work as Senator when he (Yallah) was on the Public Works Committee at the Liberian Senate on the pavement of the Gbarnga-Kokoyah road.
He added, “Vice President Taylor fought to place a blockage on the road project on grounds that if the road is paved I would’ve been re-elected in the 2020 Special Senatorial Election,”
The former County lawmaker averred that because of the Vice President’s attitude residents of Kokoyah are suffering today due to the deplorable road condition.
The former Bong County Senator said the most disappointing thing that Vice President Taylor has done is her refusal to push for her own home road which is in the National Road Plan. He added that Vice President Taylor is insensitive to the plight of Bong County citizens.
Yallah predicted that the governing CDC will find it difficult in the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections in Bong County because Bong citizens are counting all these failures of the Vice President against the Government of President George M. Weah.
He added that despite being recognized as the first female Vice President in Liberia Madam Taylor is yet to convince the people of Bong County since her ascendency as Liberia’s Vice President about the benefits of their votes as citizens of the county.
Former Senator Yallah further accused Madam Taylor of masterminding the dismissal of over 70 Chiefs in the county and boasted that it’s their government and their time so she can dismiss anyone.
He alleged that eleven of the dismissed Chiefs have died out of frustration in the County.
Mr. Yallah who has declared his support for the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and CPP Political Leader, Alexander B. Cummings in the October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections told journalists that Madam Taylor early this year added insult to injury when she said Bong County is not too essential in President Weah’s re-election bid.
He said Vice President Taylor has nothing to show in Bong County despite the huge support she continues to receive from the people.
The tough-talking Kokoyah native said Bong County doesn’t represent a home of a Vice President who receives US$4 million each budget year but does not have a sleeping place in the county.
The former CDC Senator said Vice President Taylor has been elected in the county based on her gender as a female but is yet to even improve the lives of a single market woman who stood up and said they were electing her because her mother was a market woman in Sanoyea Electoral District #7.
Meanwhile, Yallah has declared his support for the political leader of the CPP Alexander B. Cummings in the pending 2023 Presidential and General Elections.
“You can be a Cdcian and support another party’s candidate, this was a doctrine introduced by Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in 2020, that’s why I’m a Cdcian but yet supporting CPP’s Cummings for President this 2023,” the former Bong County Senator among other things concluded.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.