NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The umbrella body representing Liberia’s former timber and forestry workers has distanced itself from a street protest held on February 16 outside the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Technical Committee Chairman Jessie Blame described the demonstration as “illegal, self-interested, and politically motivated,” and urged former timber workers to channel their grievances through lawful and established mechanisms.
By: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr-rufusbrooks091@gmail.com
On the morning of February 16, dozens of individuals claiming to be former employees of Liberia’s timber sector staged a sit-in at the entrance of the Ministry, demanding payment of long-outstanding salary arrears.
The protesters claim the government owes approximately US$7.1 million — representing accumulated wages for more than 23,000 workers laid off following the 2004 timber concession reforms.
During the protest, demonstrators displayed placards accusing Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan of “flouting government commitments” and “deliberately stalling” the disbursement of benefits they say have been pending for nearly two decades.
However, Blame emphasized that his organization neither sanctioned nor condoned what he described as the unlawful obstruction of a public institution.
“The Ministry of Finance has a clear responsibility to meet its obligations,” Blame stated. “But taking to the streets in a manner that disrupts public order and diverts attention from constructive dialogue is counterproductive.”
He further alleged that the organizers of the protest may be exploiting legitimate grievances for personal or partisan interests — a move he warned could undermine months of ongoing negotiations between the government and the union’s technical committee.
Blame called on all former timber workers to remain calm and law-abiding while discussions continue through established grievance and negotiation channels.
