a
Background
Since the inception of President Joseph Boakai’s administration, the Ministry of Labour, headed by Cllr. Cooper Kruah, has frequently been in the media spotlight for alleged nepotism and tribalism. Last month, media reports accused Cllr. Kruah of prioritizing individuals from the Gio tribe, to which he belongs, regardless of their academic credentials.
The report further accused Cllr. Kruah of appointing tribal loyalists to high-ranking positions, irrespective of their education and experience. This was confirmed by Civil Servant Director Josiah Jokar, who stated that he would not honor such practices and encouraged the minister to hire based on qualifications and adherence to Civil Servant laws.
CSA Employee Headcount
The Civil Servant Agency (CSA) has been conducting employee headcounts to ensure compliance and work ethics, as well as to remove ghost names from the government payroll.The Ministry of Labour’s employee headcount was conducted, and its report was submitted to Minister Kruah for review. The report recommended suspending and dismissing over 75 employees due to delinquency on the job. Among those listed for dismissal was Dorine Kanneh, Regional Director and sister of the Maritime Commissioner, along with several other high-ranking officials.
According to our sources, Minister Kruah returned the report without any changes, indicating his agreement with the CSA’s recommendations.
Protest at the Ministry of Labour
Upon hearing the news of their suspension and dismissal, the delinquent employees staged a protest last week, criticizing Minister Kruah’s leadership. The protesting employees labeled the Minister a tribalist and divisionist, claiming his actions could potentially harm the Unity Party administration if left unchecked. They accused him of attempting to remove them to recruit more of his kinsmen.
Incident Involving Darius Weamie and Dorine Kanneh
On Friday, Darius Weamie, Deputy Inspector General for Administration, who is Gio, insulted Dorine Kanneh, a Krahn, nearly slapping her. Our sources report that Darius used profanity against Dorine and accuse her of be the mastermind of the several protests stage against Minister Kruah.
Fearing for her safety and considering the historical tribal conflicts, Dorine called her brother, Neto Lighe, the Maritime Commissioner, to inform him of the situation.
Neto Lighe
Neto Lighe arrived at the scene and, upon hearing his sister’s account, confronted both Darius and Minister Kruah’s son, using strong language. He threatened to take legal action against Minister Kruah if anything happened to his sister.
This altercation occurred in the absence of Minister Kruah.
Public Opinions
The ongoing turmoil at the Ministry of Labour under Minister Kruah’s leadership has drawn significant public attention. People are questioning why there is consistent conflict and accusations of division, ill-treatment, and tribalism within the ministry.
The public is now urging President Boakai to intervene to prevent further embarrassment and control the situation before it worsens.
