Senate Rejects President Weah’s choice

MONROVIA -TNR-The Liberian senate on Tuesday rejected two  appointees of president George M. Weah citing character issuesAtty. Toga Nimley  was nominated to  be the chairman for  The Liberia Electricity  Regulatory Commission-(LERC)  and Cllr.  Charles Gibson, chairman of the Board, Liberia Electricity Corporation-LEC.

The rejection was  done by the   plenary, after the Senate committee on   Energy and Natural  Resources, headed by Lofa County Senator, George Tengbeh  made the recommendation for their disqualification.

Meanwhile the committee  recommended Mr. Michael Korkpor for confirmation to the LERC.

It is not known if he will be confirmed.

Sources said, that the rejection was mainly triggered by  a communication to the office of the president expressing their opposition for the two persons.

This is the  third time time for Cllr. Gibson to be rejected by the Liberian senate.  President Weah nominated him to  head the Board of the National Oil Company of Liberia-NOCAL. He was said to have been on record to misapplying  over US$25,322.00 from his client. This led to his suspension of two months by the Supreme Court of Liberia after he was found guilty by the Grievance and Ethics Committee of  the court.

Later,  the position of  Justice Minister  Justice. He was rejected on  similar grounds.

For Nimley,  the US government sent a diplomatic note to president Weah informing him about the nomination to  the position. That the US, which  supports the Millennium Challenge Account would withhold all support to the entity until such nomination was withdrawn.

But president Weah, according  to legislative sources, ignored the note  and nominated Nimley. The LEC is supported  financially by the MCAL.

Details on Atty. Nimley were not given, but sources close to Foreign Ministry told this paper that there were some financial and other  issues with him  from the USA.   TNR

New Republic Liberia

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.