TEMPO.CO, Monrovia - President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has ordered the dismissal of some junior and senior level cabinet ministers, who, in the wake of the deadly Ebola outbreak left the country and have yet to return. A week ago, Sirleaf gave cabinet ministers who went out of the country one week to return home or they would be considered dismissed, except for those with serious health-related excuses.
"You might remember that about a week and a half ago, the president issued an ultimatum that she wanted all officials of the Executive Branch back home. And so many of the officials on various assignments honored this and returned home. However, some decided to stay on foreign countries. As the deadline expires, the president proceeded to issue dismissal orders," said Minister of Information Lewis Brown as reported by Breaking News on Tuesday, August 26, 2014.
Brown refused to mention the number of ministers dismissed. Among those said to be affected by the dismissal order is Michael Wotorson, chairman of the National Investment Commission, and the whole cabinet position. "We are still drafting the list," he said.
Local reports said that Wotorson wrote to his cabinet colleagues to inform them that he was resigning his position. "This was a difficult decision for me, but it was the right one for me and my family," he reportedly said.
Several other officials are still out of the country but not affected by the dismissal order because they are said to be attending to the medical needs of Liberia.
RINDU P. HESTYA | BREAKING NEWS
