Liberia president sacks 10 officials told to return to fight Ebola

in.reuters.com ^ | Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:17pm IST | James Harding Giahyue

[BenLurkin]

Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sacked 10 senior officials because they failed to heed a warning to return from overseas travel to help the government's fight against an Ebola epidemic that has killed at least 1,100 Liberians.

The officials, who include six assistant ministers, two deputy ministers and two commissioners, were dismissed with immediate effect for being "out of the country without an excuse," according to a statement from the president's office.

They were initially told in August to return to Liberia.

"These government officials showed insensitivity to our national tragedy and disregard for authority," said the statement released late on Saturday. It did not make clear what role the government expected the officials to play in the response to the crisis, or why they were out of the country.

[lee martell]

This is the first inkling sign that I’m aware of, that the Government of Liberia exists at all, and is trying to address the Ebola issue. Tragic that 10 Government workers have turned their backs on their country in it’s hour of need. I know how I should act and how responsible I should be to the public, were I in that appointed position, but I don’t know. I’ve never been in such dire straits before. I hope I’d have the courage to do the right thing for my country.

[NonValueAdded]

I’m sure many of them have rationalized that they can do more good outside of the country, rallying aid for the nation. And in that, they may be correct. Shared sacrifice might be good for optics but I’d be hard-pressed to go along with a symbolic suicide just for the sake of optics.

[Prospero]

For Failure to Return Home, President Sirleaf Dismisses Ten

As a follow-up to her directive regarding restrictions on travel of government officials, including their return within a week for those who were out of the country without an excuse, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has dismissed ten government officials with immediate effect and instituted several measures on those officials of various agencies, commissions, and parastatals not subject to presidential travel approval.

[RetiredTexasVet]

Maybe they had golf games set up with his Arrogance .... you know how His Arrogance gets annoyed if world events disrupt his golfing outings.

[EmilyGeiger]

We have missionaries in Liberia and I have a deep respect for the country. They have overcome insurmountable odds in fighting against a civil war and beat back those “freedom fighters.” One of our missionaries lost several in his family including his wife in this war. Christianity was spreading though because the government adopted conservative principles. They desired freedom like America, have areas that are named for some of our founding fathers. When our President brought homosexual marriage to America, Liberian government officials were appalled and said it will bring down America because it goes against God. It is a poor country that wants to have a free system to improve their economy. Sadly too many years of bad leadership have made this a difficult process, and now to be facing this challenge I fear for them.