The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL), says, it has observed with deep concern the growing wave of unwarranted criticism, blackmail, and targeted attacks against public officials, including Julius Sele. Sele, CSNL release recalled how’s made legitimate private investments before he enters government’s service.
We commend all public officials, who acquired legitimate investments before entering public service like Mr. Sele.” CSNL is a renowned pro-democracy institution committed to good governance, transparency and national development.
It is critically alerted to how the public space has been saturated with misleading narratives in recent days, with the intent to demonize, and discourage Liberians, who have worked hard in the private sector to invest their earnings, only to be vilified after taking up public service.
“We condemn this dangerous trend in the strongest terms.”
“The CSNL wish to make it abundantly clear that investment is not corruption. The constitution guarantees every citizen, including public officials, the right to own property, establish businesses, and contribute to the economic growth of the country.”
“To portray every official who owns a business or a house as corrupt without evidence, is not only dishonest, but also counterproductive to our national development agenda.”
The CSNL believes that public discourse on corruption, and accountability must be evidence-based, not driven by envy, politics, and character assassination.
Criticism, the group said, must be distinguished from facts. Where there is evidence of illicit enrichment, conflict of interest, or abuse of office.
CSNL said, it will be the first to call for investigation, and prosecution. “But where individuals made their investments through years of private work before entering government, they must be hailed, not harassed.”
In this regard, the Network hails public officials, like Julius Sele, and many others, “who before their appointment to public service, had already established themselves as successful entrepreneurs, investors, and job creators.” Such individuals, the group said, bring a wealth of private sector experience, financial discipline, and independence to public service. “Liberia needs more self-sufficient, and investment-minded officials, like Mr. Sele.”
Investigation CSNL conducted on the work history of Mr. Sele prior to entering the public sector reveals how he had more than 14 years of experience working as project manager at Africare-Liberia, a US-based International Organization, managing several donor-financed projects, including the IFAD-funded Agriculture Sector Rehabilitation Project, and the African Development Bank-funded Emergency Assistance Project to Avert Caterpillar Infestation in 2009. He also worked as a development consultant hired by a conglomeration of faith-based ecumenical donors, to restructure the YMCA, and a collaborative group of local NGOs, including NARDA, Lutheran World Federation, Movement for Human Rights, LOIC, FORHD, Defense of Children International, and Concerned Christian Community, Liberia Democratic Institute, and 10 other local groups.
In addition to this role at the YMCA, Mr. Sele coordinated one of the major funding appropriations provided by the UNDP for the DDRR between 2003–2006. More than 6,000 ex-combatants benefited.
The CSNL’s review of Mr. Sele’s private sector work experience further shows that earlier on during his career life in 1997, he served as chauffeur to the country representative of the International NGO, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and rose quickly to Assistant Project Manager, and subsequently, Project Manager of the USAID-funded Joseph Leahy War Victims Funds for people with physical disability. As hard work pays off dearly, Mr. Sele was soon to rise to the helm of leadership of UMCOR as interim country representative in 2001, until war reached Monrovia in September 2003, when he resigned.
The CSNL observes that the political landscape has become so polarized in a negative manner where professionalism has given way to patronage in some instances, and Mr. Sele became a victim of one of such situations. Even though, he had a legitimate contractual agreement at the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) beyond 2018 to 2020, he was unlawfully replaced by the CDC government. Following a competitive recruitment process, Mr. Sele became the first executive director of the Rubber Development Fund, Incorporated (RDFI), enacted into law by the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Administration.
He was tasked with the responsibility of liaising, and coordinating with key stakeholders in the Rubber Sector, including Firestone, LAC, Cavalla, Salala, and Nimba Rubber Planters Association in rolling out the nation’s newly adopted Rubber Sector Development Master Plan.
Mr. Sele’s six years of leadership at the RDFI as executive director led to 200,000 acres of farms being cultivated with various high yielding clones, ranging between 4-6 years maturity period.
The CSNL is informed, and sees it to be a commendable act for Mr. Sele to use his earnings from his many private sector jobs for business, and real estate investments. Tenants of his real estate investments were mainly international organizations beginning 2004; Center for Victims of Torrture (CVT); OXFAM, Monrovia Oil Company, medicins Du Monde, ActionAid, including the late Agriculture Minister, Florence Chenoweth. His real estate tenants’ payment records show that the lease payments to his real estate properties was US$24,000 per year until the departure of UNMIL. The CSNL notes that Mr. Sele’s investments, made long before his entry into government, are a testament to hard work, foresight, and belief in the economy. Instead of condemnation, such efforts should be encouraged as a model for young Liberians that it is possible to succeed through honest labor.
Therefore, CSNL calls on the media, and political actors to desist from the culture of unsubstantiated accusations that scare away potential investors, and patriotic Liberians from serving their country.
“We urge the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), and other integrity institutions to distinguish between pre-service legitimate investments declared in accordance with the Asset Declaration Law of Liberia, and unexplained wealth acquired while in office.
While the CSNL commends public officials with investments before assuming public service, we caution them to serve with honesty, and integrity. We remain committed to our objective role of holding public officials accountable, and condemning false narratives embedded in witch-hunts that undermine private initiatives, and economic growth.”
