The Suspension Of Deputy Information Minister Fahngon: My Take.

By JN Williams |

The Suspended Deputy Information Minister Eugene Fahngon

Why is everyone blaming and against Fahngon this way? Fahngon is a victim of a larger problem in Liberia and we need to deal with that.

I am currently hiring or recruiting for a supervisory position in my office. That position supervises the largest and most sensitive federal program or unit in the state of Maryland Bureau of Labor Statistics that I head, managing federal labor market activities in the state.

In the job posting, my HR staff is requesting for several things for the advertised position, including past supervisory experience.

In the US or in several responsible jobs, if one applies or is appointed to a position, the hiring authorities look for what they called “General Qualifications” and “Selective Qualifications”

Many people want jobs especially big positions in the Liberian government for which they have no minimum experience and maturity of any sort for.

Fahngon is learning on the job so people need to pity him and be flexible with him. These attacks on him must reduce. He believes he is defending the politics and attacks questioning the President’s governance style. He is loyal to the President, even though in the wrong fashion, at times.

As a country, we need to collectively muster the courage to set rules that would sincerely question the competence, experience and maturity of individuals before they are placed in positions of policy and strategic management .

Again, I believe every true Liberian wants President Weah to be successful and this is why every Liberian must support President Weah and the CDC-led government .

However, it is up to President Weah and the CDC-led government to encourage and nurture the goodwill of all Liberians.

I appreciate the President’s reason for suspending Fahngon who I knew when we were at St. Dominic’s Catholic School In Bomi Hills. He was far my junior but as editor of our school newspaper, I dealt with most students including Fahngon so I knew him well. He is a good guy, as a person. He is simply engulfed in the sour Liberian politics. I am not saying what Fahngon did or said is right. I am simply saying Fahngon is a victim of a bigger Liberian problem . Liberia needs to be a nation where positions are given to people when they are fully experienced and matured to handle issues, including crisis periods.

Another issue is those in the government serve at the pleasure of the President and they also have the trust and confidence of the President . Since the President wants to succeed and since all Liberians want the President to succeed, it is up to those appointed to reach out to other Liberians for help in the private sector or to people who once served in the positions and agencies they now run.

Some of these guys in the current government are failing because they are too big for themselves and they are not willing to seek help or advice from outside of government or their small circles where all they hear is praise. I am not criticizing, I am just being honest because we want this administration to succeed for every possible reason. If they succeed, Liberia succeeds and everyone of us succeed too.

When I was appointed as head of the Jewish international refugee program dealing wirh all kinds of refugees from countries around the world, I consistently reached out to people for help and advice. I even sought the opinion of my Liberian friends on a casual level. I did so with humility. It didn’t mean I was not as Liberians would say “a big man”.

As the first black person to serve as Maryland State Labor Market Information Manager, I also reached out to many people that I felt could give me advice and help because I wanted to succeed and I also wanted the democratic Governor I served to succeed and the state of Maryland to succeed.

Before, I was given my current position as a State Administrator of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Programs, I had to meet the “general” and “selective” qualifications test.

In as much as we Liberians support President Weah, those who he gives these strategic positions to should first learn and grow in these areas before they can get wherever they want go career wise. We can’t be a nation that just give serious strategic positions to individuals when they have not matured for those jobs.

In summary, nobody should glory in Fahngon’s suspension. The problem is not Fahngon, the problem is a bigger Liberian matter.

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