GANTA, Nimba – In March, the Institute for Research and Democratic Development released its Annual Legislative Report for 2015. The report, which assesses the performances of lawmakers, indicated that Nimba’s Senator Prince Y. Johnson performed poorly in the Senate.

IREDD’s report allotted scores to lawmakers for the past year, taking into consideration plenary attendance and participation, a classification of absences, bills sponsored and passed, and actions taken to fulfill oversight responsibilities.

The report gathered that Johnson attended 50% of all sessions, was absent 14 times from sessions, and visited his constituents 11 times.

Johnson has refuted the report on the basis that it is not factual. In an interview with Radio Kergheamahn, he expressed his dissatisfaction about the report.

“The report is highly political,” Johnson said. “I spent nine years in the Liberian Senate. Such a report has never been given about me or attributed to me.”

According to the Nimba lawmaker, if he were one of those considered as a ‘Bobo Lawmaker’ at the Liberian Senate, he would not have been elected for a second term. The derogatory term for mute persons has been used to describe Montserrado Senator George Weah, who also received poor ratings in the report.

Johnson said his appointment to represent Liberia at the ECOWAS parliament was proof that IREDD’s report about him could not be true. He called on the public not to give credence to the report, adding that “this political analysis is not something that anyone should go by.”

Johnson said he is disappointed in some citizens from Nimba who have given credence to the report.

“What is more ridiculous is when your own children – your own citizens from Nimba – begin to take you on the airwaves when people in Monrovia are not even talking about such things,” he said.

“You cannot have a theologian or a preacher who has been a senator for nine years, who never got such a report score and now to be called a ‘Bobo.’ This is so ridiculous,” Johnson asserted.

IREDD is a research and policy advocacy organization that works to measure and monitor governance institutions. In addition to the annual legislative monitoring reports, the organization also maintains a website that provides information on bills introduced in the legislature, in addition to contact information about all lawmakers.