Outcry as Sirleaf appoints son Liberia central bank governor

Tension is beginning to rise in Liberia, as the country’s  central bank confirmed Thursday that it has appointed the son of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as interim governor.

The appointment came after he had been previously suspended from the bank for failing to properly declare his assets.

Charles Sirleaf, who was deputy governor of the bank until his promotion to interim governor on Wednesday, was suspended temporarily in 2012 on the orders of his mother for breaching declaration rules.

Read also: Presidents Of Liberia And Sierra Leone Pull Out Of US-Africa Summit

Though it is yet clear how long he will act as governor before a subtantive one will be appointed, his appointment has raised  fresh allegations of nepotism against Sirleaf.

Another son of the President, Robert Sirleaf, was also appointed  as head of the country’s National Oil Company but was forced to step down in  2013 after popular outcry.

Reacting to the appointment, Jefferson Knight, head of human rights monitoring at the influential United Methodist church in Liberia, told AFP he believed Charles Sirleaf was appointed primarily due to his name.

“There are so many Liberians who are qualified for that post, why it is only he who will be elected? This is nepotism. I am sure the president is testing the water and I hope she will do the right thing by appointing another person. Though we don’t know for how long her son will remain as interim head, this is not smelling good,” Knight added.

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