The impending General Assembly of the Federation of Liberian Youths (FLY) may not be held next week, as aspirants and member organizations increase pressure on the Ministry of Youths & Sports to halt the process due to concerns about irregularities.
As part of the unabated demands from potential candidates and youth organizations, one of the aspirants, Samuel Kpartor and about 30 associate and full member organizations from the are requesting an immediate halt to what they term as the ongoing illegal regularization process of the GA, by the national leadership of FLY.
They informed Acting Minister for Youth Development, Alphonso Belleh, that the current and outgoing leadership of FLY reneged to respect the constitution, which mandates them to inform through the various means, member organizations about the ongoing electoral process, but instead decided to dubiously and secretly conduct the process and exclude the majority of youth organizations from participating.
The complainants/petitioners named, among other things, the regularization of 10 youth organizations from Since and other counties without informing the leadership of those organizations, but allegedly carried people from Monrovia to represent these organizations, thereby denying the legitimate owners members the right to represent their organizations.
The aggrieved youths organizations further complained that the process is marked by fraud because vital information relating to the regularization of member organizations are largely hidden.
“The immediate and timely intervention into the process, they emphasized, will bring sanity and dignity to FLY and ensure a smooth, free, fair, and transparent transition, because the majority of Liberian youths and organizations are interested in peaceful and well-coordinated transition that will provide equal access and opportunity to all.
“Importantly, a process that will allow the young people of Liberia decide who would be their leaders is cardinal to the forward march of the Federation, as we are not prepared to go back to the ugly past from the last two elections (2018 and 2022), where the young people were treated in inhumane fashions, to the satisfaction of some powerful few,” they asserted.
They recounted how in the past elections (2009-2014), political actions and inactions breeded uncalled for tension, leading to unnecessary violence and confusion among young people, a situation which paints the youth and student community as violence-oriented population.
“We detest this time anything that will bring FLY into an unnecessary negative public fiery. In past and current, politically induced influence took away and continue to undermine the potential and productive ability of the institution, rendering it politically obsessed,” they noted.
According to the complaining FLY member organizations, these and other developments have left the federation with an integrity and credibility deficit for which donors and partners see it as an unorthodox assembly, and not as a youth development, advocacy, and empowerment group, driven by development advocacy and programs geared towards helping youth cultivate positive attitude and virtue, and help them thrive in the career, personal, and professional development journey.
They vowed to uphold the thoughts and utmost intent of the crafter of the FLY constitution, which provides procedures to follow in dealing with issues of the functioning and operation of the Federation, particularly General Assembly and election as enforced by the board and Ministry of Youths & Sports.
They want the database of membership organizations that was regularized during the membership regularization process turn over to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for verification by those organizations in the 15 Counties, warning that an attempt to allow the process to proceed could invite violence and confusion.
The aggrieved majority youth organizations have recommended that for a well-coordinated, open, free, fair, transparent, and credible process, the Ministry of Youths & Sports puts halt to the General Assembly and conduct a thorough investigation of the entire GA.
The concerned youth organizations include:
Bomi: Klay Youth United for Development, Managbokai Youth Network, Adult & Addolscent Reproductive Forum, Klay District Youth Association, United Youth for Developmental Services, Progressive Youth Association, Congressional Youth Association, Gbojay Youth Association Seah Progressive Youth Action Network, Youth United for Peace;
Grand Cape Mount: Mesila Youth for Progressive Action, Garwulu Youth Development Association, Sinje Youth Development, Tewor Youth United for Progress, Youth United for Peace and Development, Mano Youth United for Progressive Change, Robertsoort Youth Foundation, Bo Youth Development Association Mamo Development Association, Porkpa Youth for Peace and Justice;
Gbarpolu: Federation of Gbarpolu Youth, Youth in Action for Prevention of HIV/AIDS, Gon-go-wa-na way, Youth for Positive Change, Youth Rural Women Initiative, Belle District Youth Association, Bopolu District Youth Association;
Sinoe: Lexington Youth, Murraysville Youth, Butaw Youth, Farmerville Youth, Agape Youth, Jeadae Youth, United Kpamyan Youth, Bojouh Youth, and Seebeh Youth, amongst several others.
In light of these rising concerns, authorities of the Ministry of Youths & Sports have begun engaging the leadership of FLY and other concerned parties in line with its oversight authority, in a bit to derived the most appropriate solution to the impasse.
The MYS has asked FLY to submit all crucial documents to allow for proper oversight and to ensure that the General Assembly and electoral process of the Federation remains transparent and adheres to its governing instruments.