GANTA, Nimba – The Regional Education Officer for Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa and River Cess Counties, George S. S. Wuo has strongly reacted to a statement calling for his resignation.
In the wake of Wuo’s expressed ambition to contest for the representative seat in Nimba County ahead of the 2017 general elections, Martin Fahn, a citizen of Nimba is calling for Wuo’s resignation.
“I am happy today to call upon Hon. George S. S. Wuo to resign as Regional Education Officer, because he wants to test his political strength in the district,†Fahn said.
In an interview with Radio Kergheamahn on Monday, Wou said, “Maybe the person doesn’t know, and since I am in the business of education, I will try to educate them.â€
He added: “Our constitution does not say if you are in the government you should resign to run.â€
Wuo said this policy of government officials resigning from the government a year or two before running for elected positions in government, was a policy instituted by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government for appointed officials in her government. He said this does not apply to him; as such he is not one of those government appointees.
“According to her, once you are in her government and have the desire to run for any elected office, she will appreciate that you resign a year or two from the government to meet your ambition so that you cannot undermine her government,†he said. “What this person is thinking of is what I just quoted, but it is not constitutional that when you are in the government you should resign if you want to run for elected position.â€
“Secondly, I am not one of the presidential appointees, and so we need to distinguish that,†Wuo said.
Fahn noted that Wuo’s serving in the capacity as REO while at the same time vying for the political position has the propensity of creating a conflict of interest in the educational landscape of Nimba.
Wuo did note that “when the right time comes, I will take administrative leave to go and run my campaign.â€
Featured photo by Arrington Ballah
