Foreign Minister- designate Augustine Ngafuan says the passage of any homosexual law in the country is squarely within the domain of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Mr. Ngafuan told the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee during his appearance for confirmation hearings last Friday in Monrovia that as Minister of Foreign Affairs he cannot make any decision regarding the legislation of same-sex marriage in the absence of the President’s input considering the fact that she’s the chief architect of the country’s foreign policy.
“President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is the chief planner and final decision-maker when it comes to our foreign relations; the issue regarding gay and lesbianism is little outlandish in the Liberian terrain, especially with the uniqueness of the Liberian culture and tradition,” the Foreign Minister-Designate added.
The outgoing Finance Minister also noted that if the president deemed it more appropriate and conclusive to support the idea, he as minister of foreign affairs would have no choice, but to follow suit.
Ngafuan committed his administration to ensuring that all foreign missions, including ambassadors will sign a one-year performance contract in consonance with President Sirleaf’s recent policy requiring all key ministers to sign a one-year performance contract. The policy suggests that failure on their part to perform to her expectation would lead to their resignation.
“It will only make sense if all employees of the ministry sign performance contracts with the minister in order to make every employee serious and determined on the job; I as minister cannot sign a performance contract with the president, while those who suppose to make my job easier are freely moving about, and for me as head to account for the entire ministry means those working alongside me should form part of the contract to make all of us serious on the job,” he said.
by E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
Source – all Africa
