The election figures showed clearly that Liberian youths overwhelmingly voted for George Weah in last December’s run-off poll. In fact, the result showed that more women than men cast their votes for Senator Weah, partly because he had a female running mate. But since becoming president, it appears this fact does not mean much to Mr. Weah.
Following President Weah’s recent appointment of his first set of officials, the Chairperson on Gender and Child Development Committee at the House of Representatives, Julie Wiah, has called on the President to appoint women to at least 30 percent of available government positions.
Representative Wiah urged the President not to forget women in the government being formed by the Coalition for Democratic Change, CDC, by circumventing their appointment to 30 percent of government posts, which the lawmaker believes is universally accepted.
Rep. Wiah told journalists in her Capitol building office last week, that the appointment of more women to government positions would be rewarding and expedient for Liberia, because women will be at the helm of decision-making.
She said the appointment of women as ministers, deputy ministers, superintendents, ambassadors and other positions will give them the opportunity to participate in the country’s governance.
“It is my advice that President Weah should appoint women to 30 percent of positions in the current government,” Rep. Wiah declared, arguing that “women have the right to participate in our political governance.” There was no single female in the first batch of appointments made by President Weah.
Rep. Wiah also called on Vice-President Jewel Taylor to join her colleagues and appeal to President Weah to ensure that women account for 30 percent of posts in government.
Aside from her position as the chairperson of the Gender and Child Development Committee, Rep. Wiah is also a member of the Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning, as well as serving as a member of the Pan-African Parliament.
“I want to thank Speaker Chambers for the confidence he reposed in me,” Rep. Wiah stated.
She said during the 54th Legislature, the House’s Gender Committee will collaborate with gender-based institutions to make recommendations that would spell out adequate punishment for convicted rapists, “and those who commit crimes against women and young girls.”
