Liberia: Sen. McGill Seeks Vindication?

In a brave and tenacious stance, Margibi County Senator Nathaniel F. McGill continues to advocate for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court in Liberia. This move aims not only to prosecute individuals for crimes committed but also to vindicate those wrongly accused, he says.

Despite being one of the nine senior Liberian government officials sanctioned by the United States government for corruption, abuse of public office, and human rights violations in the last few years, McGill remains resolute in his pursuit of justice. 

The other victims of the U.S. sanctions include Minister of Finance Samuel Tweah; former Senate Pro-Tempore, Albert Chie; Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson; and Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman. The rest are Margibi County Senator J. Emmanuel Nuquay; former National Port Authority (NPA) Managing Director, now Senator Bill Twehway; former Solicitor General Syrenius Cephus; and the Secretary General of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson T. Koijee. 

During an interview in Monrovia on Thursday, January 18, Senator McGill expressed his determination to collaborate with civil society organizations to secure the establishment of the court. He emphasized the importance of coming up with recommendations based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) document. As a victim of what he describes as “false corruption accusations”, McGill believes that this court will help clear his and others’ names or hold them accountable if found guilty.

“People accused me every day. I want an economic crimes court, including the war crimes court. I will work with civil society to ensure that. We need to come up with recommendations on the TRC document,” he said.

Despite being a member of a major opposition bloc, Senator McGill assured that they would be responsible in their opposition to the government, ensuring that the promises made are fulfilled. He emphasized the need to hold the government accountable while also working towards the betterment of the country. 

“We will be a responsible opposition, but we will not sit on the fence. We hold the government’s feet to the fire to deliver on their promises,” he said.

Regarding allegations of amassing wealth during his tenure as Minister of State, Senator McGill vehemently denied owning properties outside of Liberia. 

McGill has also been accused in several quarters of amassing wealth at the detriment of impoverished Liberians when he served as Minister of State — even owning properties in countries such as Ghana and the United Arab Emirates. But the Senator vehemently rebuffed the reports, saying that he does not own properties anywhere outside Liberia.

He challenged anyone with evidence to present it to the Liberian government for appropriate action. He also expressed his disappointment with the circulation of unverified claims and urged the government to seize any properties found to be illicitly connected to him.

“I don’t own any property in Dubai or anywhere else. All of what I have is here,” he said.

“When I was sanctioned, some of those questions were asked and I responded to them. I listened to Spoon Talk two days ago and someone showed a picture of what they identified as my property in Dubai,” he explained. “And I said to Stanton [Witherspoon] that if you have the document that those properties are mine, please turn it over to the Government of Liberia.

“I am begging the government to please ask Stanton who said he has documentary evidence that the properties are mine to turn the documents of the properties over to the Government of Liberia,” he said. “It will be a shame if the government doesn’t go to take the properties. If somebody bought them and put them in my name, let the government take them,” he said.

However, the Margibi County Senator also voiced support for auditing the outgoing government, considering it a necessary step toward transparency. He clarified that auditing does not equate to witch-hunting, rather it ensures accountability for public service and stewardship.

“Obviously! I think an audit is the best thing to do. An audit will be appropriate.”

He said he listened to people saying President Weah said people should not witch-hunt his government officials, pointing out, “I don’t think the President meant to say ‘don’t audit my government.’ The President believes that audits are a matter of transparency.”

He said that those who are leaving public service need to account for their stewardship, saying that this is why he supports the call for an audit.

“For me, I wouldn’t mind presenting myself to account for my stewardship if I am called upon. Even as Senator for Margibi County, I should use my influence amongst my colleagues to see whether we can set up a specialized court to deal with economic crimes,” he said.

McGill’s Vision for Education

Senator McGill was on Monday, January 15, elected by members of the Senate to chair the Senate Education Committee. New Senator Pro-Tempore, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, named McGill and several other senators to major committees of the senate after she was elected unopposed to the post of Senate Pro-Tempore. 

As the newly elected chair of the Senate Education Committee, Senator McGill outlined his vision to improve education in Liberia. He plans to collaborate with stakeholders in the sector to enhance school infrastructure, facilities, and learning environments.

Recognizing the financial challenges faced by parents, he aims to subsidize private schools while making public schools free and attractive for all parents unable to send their children to private institutions.

Additionally, he intends to work with his colleagues to strengthen the Free Education Bill by incorporating provisions for subsidizing private schools across the country. Overall, Senator McGill’s apparent unwavering commitment to justice, accountability, and affordable education underscores his determination to create a better future for Liberia.

But the Senator also knows all too well the frustration President Weah’s free public tertiary education policy caused. Public colleges and universities no being longer able to collect tuition from students, meant additional strain on the national budget. In the case of the University of Liberia, faculty often went on strike over salaries that were no longer forthcoming through tuition revenue. Other public universities saw their budgetary disbursements held up in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for no good reason — allegedly on the desks of individuals who demanded bribes in order for said disbursements to be released. 

To achieve his goals, McGill has promised to begin to engage the National Teachers Association, schools, and the Ministry of Education to ensure that infrastructure at various schools are standardized and facilities are conducive for learning.

He also promised to work with the government to ensure that private schools are subsidized while making public schools free and attractive for all parents who cannot send their kids to private schools. 

He also wants to work with his colleagues in the Senate to improve the free education bill that is currently before the Senate for concurrence by adding to it the need to subsidize private schools across the country.