appointments less than 24 hours after his
swearing in on Monday.
Seven names made the first batch of appointees,
including former Senate Pro-Tempore Gbezohngar
Findley, who has been named Minister of Foreign
Liberia’s President George Weah on Tuesday made his
first
Affairs.
Findley, according to local media, is close ally of
immediate past President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and
staunchly supported Vice- President Joseph Boakai at
the initial stage of the campaign period.
He reportedly dumped Boakai, who ran for the
presidency on the platform of the Unity Party and
aligned with Weah, heavily campaigning for him in
parts of the country.
This fueled speculations that Weah was receiving
support from Johnson-Sirleaf, who was recently
expelled by the UP for anti-party activities.
Maj.-Gen. Daniel Ziankahn was immediately retired
as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia
and appointed the Minister of National Defence,
subject to Senate confirmation.
Ziankahn replaces Brownie Samukai at the defence
ministry, which is in the middle of an alleged
wasteful spending of “welfare and supplementary
pension benefits” of members of the Armed Forces.
Brig. Gen. Prince Johnson takes over from Ziankahn
as the new Chief of Staff of the AFL.
Weah named Chairman of the now ruling Coalition
for Democratic Change, Mr Nathaniel McGill as the
Minister of State for Presidential Affairs.
Samuel Tweh, a long-time member of the CDC, is to
serve as Minister of Finance and Development
Planning.
Until his appointment, Tweh worked as an economic
consultant at the Millennium Challenge Corporation
under the Ministry of Finance.
The president appointed Mr Charles Gibson as Minister
of
Justice, and Mr Sam Mannah as Press Secretary
with immediate effect.
Weah has directed that the heads of other
government ministries and agencies remain in place
until further notice.
Meanwhile, some Liberians have urged the new
president to honour his promise of holding
government officials accountable to the people.
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Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Monrovia, one of the respondents, Saah Clinton, a
retired soldier, advised Weah to show courage and
do the right thing in the interest of Liberians.
“Although, I am confident in the president’s ability to
crack down on corruption as promised in his inaugural
speech,
it takes a lot of political will and courage to
do that.
“The president should carry the masses along in
whatever decision he takes against powerful
government officials, and the people will stand by
him,’’ he said.
Weah in his inaugural address renewed his promise
to tackle endemic corruption especially in the public
service, vowing to prosecute corrupt government
officials “to the full extent of the law’’.
“As officials of government, it is time to put the
interest of our people above our own selfish interests.
It is time to be honest with our people
“For those who do not refrain from enriching
themselves at the expense of the people, the law will
take its course,’’ the president said.
(NAN)
source: http://punchng.com/president-weah-makes-first-appointments/
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