Liberia: 'McGill's Accusation Against Cllr. Gongloe Not factual'

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The Liberia National Bar Association has termed as 'misrepresentation of the facts' the statement by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, that the bar benefited from the Minister's personal financial contribution during the hosting of the African Bar Association Conference held in 2019.

The LNBA, while setting the record straight, said at no time did the leadership request Min. McGill's personal financial support to hold the African Bar Association Conference in October of 2019.

"The leadership of the Liberia National Bar Association says it is a total misrepresentation of the facts, the statement made by Min. Nathaniel McGill on Spoon TV Live, that the Bar benefited from his personal financial contribution during the hosting of the African Bar Association 2019 Conference in Monrovia" the Bar said in a statement.

The Bar's clarification comes after Min. McGill alleged on the talk show that the remarks by Cllr. Gongole calling for sanction against corrupt officials are complete hypocrisy, threatening to publish numerous financial transactions between himself and Gongloe.

According to the Minister, Cllr. Gongloe begged him for money to support his African Bar Association program in Liberia and other activities which he did not include in his sanction advocacy.

Minister McGill says his reason for making such pronouncement is due to Cllr. Google's recent call or appeal to the international community, particularly the United States Government, to place a sanction on the Minister of State on grounds that he (McGill) is involved in "pay for play politics" because of the private scholarship fund drive launched in Nimba, Bong, Margibi, and Bassa counties.

But the LNBA response, issued on December 30, clarified that the government of Liberia and LNBA were excited and saw the request to host the African Bar Association Conference as an opportunity to showcase the country under the George Weah administration.

"Both the GOL and LNBA felt it was an honor for Liberia to host lawyers of the African continent for the first time in history. Predicated upon these discussions and due to the short notice given LNBA, the African Bar Association delegation and the LNBA's leadership met with Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, who was the first senior official that met with the African Bar to pledge the GOL's fullest support for the successful hosting of the conference and made the initial commitment of making the ministerial complex available for the holding of the conference," the Bar said.

It added that the GOL committed to providing US$50,000 which the LNBA said was not a personal request, as claimed by Min. McGill, but to the government of Liberia.

The LNBA maintains that under no circumstances it will ever ask Min. McGill as an individual to provide US$50,000 or to give personal support to LNBA

"Who, just a few years ago could not afford the luxury he enjoys now, to make such wild claims," the Bar claimed. "The LNBA will never fan for handouts from any government officials including Nathaniel McGill. His misinformation is only intended for personal gratification at the expense of LNBA."

Recently, Cllr Gongloe called on the U.S. government to sanction the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, for allegedly spending millions of Liberian dollars to buy voters ahead of the 2023 general and presidential elections.

Min. McGill of late has been seen visiting several counties and spending huge sums of money on scholarships in the name of President George Manneh Weah while promising more money to citizens across the country ahead of the 2023 elections.

The huge sums of Liberian dollars on scholarships had targeted vote-rich counties namely; Bong, Grand Bassa, Nimba, and Margibi, which Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe terms as an act of vote-buying, ahead of the country's elections.

"Minister McGill's activity shows reckless disregard for the feelings of the Liberian people who are suffering," Gongloe laments.

However, he notes that it takes two to get a transaction to go on. Thus, votes buyers, too, should be sanctioned.

"I am saying this especially at a time when, within one month, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs has spent about L$170 million as political gifts to four counties," he added.