Montserrado County’s district#7 Representative, Solomon Claudius George, has sharply reacted to the Hot Pepper’s Monday, August 16, 2021 edition, banner-headlined, “Solomon George’s ‘Negligence’ Causes Maximum Damage”.
After the last Friday fire disaster on Water and Front streets, the Acting Youth Chairman of the community accused Representative George of being responsible for the disaster, which affected hundreds of businessmen and women, including residents of the community. According to the youth leader, Representative George’s “political consent” to repair a damage bridge in the community, which he did not live up to, was one of the reasons that escalated the damages caused by the Aminata & Sons fuel tanker that collapsed in the community on Friday.
But reacting to the residents’ allegation, Representative George refuted the insinuation of being responsible for last week’s fire disaster. He disclosed that the youth leader, who has made the accusation is not informed on how and why the bridge has not been repaired.
Representative George explained that, in 2017 during the administration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, district #7’s share of the Legislative Support Funds was not released due to his opposition to the removal of Speaker Alex Tyler. He noted that all other district Legislative Support Funds were given through the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE).
According to the CDC lawmaker, the bridge in question was on his agenda to be repaired through the Legislative Support Funds in 2017, but the plan was not achieved because he opposed the Speakership of Atty. Emmanuel Nuquay. As a result of his opposition, he said, President Sirleaf allegedly instructed LACE not to release any funding for district #7.
He averred that the owner of the fuel tanker, Aminata and Sons, should be held responsible for the disaster, and that payment for the affected businessmen and women should be made by the company.
He regretted the unfortunate incident, and expressed dismay over how big companies go about contracting defected vehicles to carry out major responsibilities, at the detriment of innocent people.