Press Release
Citizens hailing the Kparblee Administrative District in Nimba County, residing in Montserrado County, have accused Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson of masterminding the continual marginalization of the people of Kparblee District using ethnocentric or tribal cleavages.
The citizens alleged that Senator Johnson is doing everything to prevent Mr. Peter Sarpka Karngbaye, a citizen of the District, from serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Development of Nimba County.
In a press statement read by their spokesman, Marcus Sawi Kpou, on Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Monrovia, the Kaprblee citizens said Mr. Karngbaye, who chairs their mother organization, Kparblee District Development Association (KPADA), was among other individuals nominated by President George Weah on February 5, 2018 serve Nimba County.
According to the citizens, since the nomination of Mr. Karngbaye, Senator Johnson continues to show a non-compliance posture, threatening to prevent the presidential nominee from taking up the position “because he is of the Krahn ethnic group”. This allegation has not been independently confirmed.
There are five ethnic groups in Nimba County, including the Dan (Gio), Mano, Krahn, Mandingo and Gbi who have and continue to live in harmony since the establishment of the county.
“Senator Johnson says he was not aware of the nomination of Mr. Karngbaye and so he will ensure that the nominee is replaced,” the citizens’ press statement added.
The citizens said on March 20, 2018, their claim against Senator Johnson was manifested when all nominees, except Mr. Karngbaye, of Nimba County were called by the Senate for confirmation hearings.
“We have reliably gathered from the Executive Mansion that the nomination stands, and has not been withdrawn. Also, the Secretariat of the Senate has referred us to the appointing power (the Presidency),” they indicated.
Against this backdrop, the Kparblee District citizens said they are afraid that such action on the part of Senator Johnson could brew tribal tension among citizens of Nimba County, thereby undermining the peace, reconciliation and national cohesion that President George Weah continues to preach daily, adding, “We also consider this as a violation of our inalienable rights.”
The aggrieved citizens further said they have been peace-loving people for years, a posture they are committed to maintain, however, not to the detriment of the District’s interest.
The statement said, “We are therefore calling on Senator Johnson to desist these actions which has the propensity to undermine the good intentions of this ‘pro-poor’ government and allow the confirmation of Mr. Karngbaye as Assistant Superintendent for Development. We believe in the leadership ability of Mr. Karngbaye to lead the developmental activities of Nimba County.”
At the same time, the citizens are calling for the interventions of the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Senator Albert Chie, President George Manneh Weah and other national leaders as well as the peace-loving people of Nimba County and Liberia at large, in the matter.
Meanwhile, the Kparblee District citizens said while they are aggrieved by Senator Johnson’s action, they will remain civil in seeking redress to the matter, in line with what they call President Weah’s reconciliation drive.
