Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Wilson
Published on 2024-03-26 05:47:20
R. Joyclyn Wea wrote an article discussing the petition for the Writ of Prohibition brought before the full bench of the Supreme Court by Wilson Tarpeh, the former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tarpeh is challenging his replacement by Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, who currently serves as the Acting Executive Director under the Boakai-Koung administration. Tarpeh claims that he had a tenure position of seven years that had not expired, leading him to contest his removal from the position by the new administration.
In response to Tarpeh’s petition, Yarkpawolo submitted a 25-count response to the high court, emphasizing that Tarpeh was only serving as an Acting Executive Director and could not continue to hold himself out as the tenured Executive Director. Yarkpawolo stated that Tarpeh’s term expired on January 22, 2024, with the inauguration of President Joseph Boakai. He cited Section 16 of the EPA Act, which outlines the process for appointing the Executive Director and specifies a seven-year term with eligibility for reappointment.
Yarkpawolo argued that Tarpeh’s interpretation of the EPA Act was flawed and led to his misconception that he had been granted tenure by President Weah. He highlighted the requirement for the President to appoint the Executive Director from a list of three recommended names by the Policy Council, a step that was not followed in Tarpeh’s case. Yarkpawolo pointed out that the President has the authority to appoint an Interim Executive Director pending the constitution of the Policy Council, as was the case with Tarpeh’s appointment.
The history of the EPA’s Executive Directors was also discussed in the article. It mentioned that there have been three Executive Directors who enjoyed tenure, while there were several Interim Executive Directors who did not have the privilege of tenure. The process of appointing the tenured Executive Directors under previous administrations was outlined to provide context to Tarpeh’s situation.
Yarkpawolo highlighted the case of Nathaniel Blama, who was dismissed as the Executive Director of the EPA by former President Weah in 2018 and 2020 because he was serving as an Interim Executive Director. This example was used to illustrate the difference between tenured and interim appointments within the agency.
Overall, the article delved into the legal and procedural aspects of the dispute between Tarpeh and Yarkpawolo regarding the Executive Director position at the EPA. It provided insights into the requirements outlined in the EPA Act and the historical context of previous appointments to the position. The response from Yarkpawolo aimed to clarify the legal basis for Tarpeh’s removal and underscored the importance of following the established procedures for appointing the Executive Director of the agency.
Read the original article on New Republic Liberia
