“A Blow To Our Democratic Gains”; Bishop Brown Describes US Secretary Blinken’s Visit To West Africa But Not Liberia

The former President of the Liberia Council of Churches, Bishop Kortu Brown, has described as a blow to Liberia the United States Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, visiting some African countries and not reaching Liberia. Bishop Brown claimed that Secretary Blinken’s action is an affront to the democratic gains Liberia has made over the past eighteen (18) years.

   Secretary Blinken is currently visiting Africa to advance security partnerships based on shared values such as respect for human rights, promotion of democracy, and expansion of the rule of law.

   He will reaffirm U.S. commitment to its coastal West African partners through the Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, U.S. partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to address regional challenges, and U.S. efforts to support African leadership in de-escalating tensions and adopting diplomatic solutions to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

   Bishop Brown noted that Liberia has put Africa on the map in terms of its recent transfer of power from one democratic President to another over the last eighteen years.

   The Liberia Council of Churches former President has called on the new government to set up a special committee to review all the records of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the National Security Agency (NSA) on investigation conducted on mysterious deaths and disappearances that occurred in the administration of former President George Weah.

   It can be recalled that during the administration of former President George Weah four deaths involving Emmanuel Barten Nyeswua, Director General, Liberia Internal Audit Agency, and Albert Peters, Gifty Lama, and George F. Fanbutu, all with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) were reported. All four reportedly were conducting audits of government’s accounts over an allegation of misappropriation of funds. Nyeswua died of an apparent fall, while the others died in apparent car accidents.

   Addressing a press conference in Breweville, Bishop Kortu Brown, who is also the General Overseer of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International, cautioned President Joseph Boakai to declassified the records of the LNP and the NSA in order for their records to be made public.

   According to him, there is a need for an independent body to ascertain the true account in order to bring closure to these investigations.

   The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) former President also described the recent heat exhaustion at the inauguration of President Joseph Boakai as spiritual attack on the nation, and called on the Unity Party administration to conduct an investigation

   During the swearing-in ceremony, President Joseph Boakai failed to reach the end of his speech and had to be helped away from the podium.