Africa-Press – Liberia. A day after his designation by the U.S. State Department along with two other top officials, Senate President Pro-Tempore Albert Tugbe Chie, is fighting back, vowing to take advantage of U.S. legal system to remove their names and those of their targeted family members from visa restrictions.
On Monday, December 11, 2023, the U.S. State Department designated Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, Senators Albert T. Chie and Emmanuel Nuquay, bringing to a total of nine top officials, who have been sanctioned so far in the Weah-led regime.
But speaking here Tuesday, 12th December in the chambers of the Liberian Senate, Senator Chie in a battle tone dismissed allegations levied against him and his two colleagues as false and misleading, untrue and unfounded.
“Since my stewardship as administrative head of the Senate, never have taken a dime from any source and offered it to any of my colleagues in any of the legislative Chambers or to any of our staff to manipulate legislative processes”, he argues.
On December 11, 2023, the United States Department of State designated thirty (30) prominent former and current Government officials from Developing Countries for U.S. Visa restrictions under its regulation 7031 (c).
“In Liberia, these US visa restrictions were imposed on me and two of my
Government Colleagues: Senator James Emmanuel Nuquay of Margibi County and Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, to make it explicit according to my understanding, on the allegations that we solicited money or other instruments of value from the public and private sectors and offered them to Senators and/or Representatives to pass laws and other legislative instruments.”
He notes that clearly, Washington has been misinformed and misguided by detractors.
Senator Chie further defends that the Liberian Senate under his watch has instituted many procedural reforms that have improved legislative processes, such as elimination of yea and nay votes for crucial legislative instruments and the abolishment of Executive or closed door sessions to erase any doubt of secrecy.
Another thing he says is that everyone, including the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia and other low key officials in the State Department know that the process for the elections for the President Pro-tempore of the Senate for the 55th Legislature has started, and the timing of the action taken on two key Senators, himself and Emmanuel Nuquay, is of a concern, noting, “So we are taken aback by the U.S. Visa restriction just few weeks from the Senator Leadership elections.”
According to him, they always hear that the United States believes in a free and fair electoral process, adding that they are taken aback by the US Visa restriction just few weeks from the senate Leadership elections.
He informs his colleague senators that the State Department allegations that he, Tweah and Nuquay have solicited bribes from public and private sources and given them to the Senate to influence the legislative process impugn on their integrity as well, and they will take the appropriate action individually, severally and collectively as their wisdom dictates.
“No matter from which angle you look at it, that attack is on all Legislators, whether from ruling position, from opposition or from no position”, he tells them.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
