12/10/2024
On August 2, 1997, Charles G. Taylor was inaugurated as Liberia's 21st President after winning a landslide victory with 75.3% of the total votes in a special election held on July 19, 1997, under the auspices and sponsorship of ECOWAS.
This special election was the result of a peace plan agreed upon by the parties and stakeholders in Liberia's civil crisis. The plan was brokered in Abuja, Nigeria, in 1996, following numerous peace conferences that had failed to deliver a lasting solution. The peace plan introduced a novel electoral concept of "proportional representation," designed to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders and political parties contesting the presidency and other elected offices.
In the end, Charles Taylor of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) emerged victorious with 75.3% of the vote, followed by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Unity Party (UP) with 9.5%, and Alhaji Kromah of the All Liberia Coalition Party (ALCOP) with 4.3%. Thirteen political parties participated in the race.
Below is a breakdown of the key figures in President Taylor’s first government, established in 1997:
Executive:
- President: Charles G. Taylor
- Vice President: Enoch Dogolea
Legislature:
- Speaker: Nyudeh Morkornmana
- Senate Pro Tempore: Charles W. Brumskine
- Deputy Speaker: G. Patrick Williams
- Chief Clerk: James R. Kaba
Judiciary:
- Chief Justice: Gloria Musue Scott
Associate Justices:
1) Wilkins Wright
2) Karmo Soko Sackor
3) Elwood Jangaba
4) J. Boima Morris
Cabinet:
1) Monie R. Captan - Minister of Foreign Affairs
2) T. Ernest Eastman - Minister of State for Presidential Affairs
3) Eddington Varmah - Minister of Justice
4) J. Wesseh McClain - Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs
5) Dr. Lami Kawah - Minister of Transport
6) Daniel Chea - Minister of National Defense
7) Dr. Brahima Kaba - Minister of Commerce
8) Irwin O. Coleman - Minister of Public Works
9) Maxwell Kaba - Minister of Post and Telecommunications
10) Hezekiah Bowen - Minister of Rural Development
11) Edward K. Sackor - Minister of Internal Affairs
12) François Massaquoi - Minister of Youth and Sports
13) Augustine J. Zaizay - Minister of State Without Portfolio
14) Dr. Peter Coleman - Minister of Health & Social Welfare
15) Dr. Evelyn Kandakai - Minister of Education
16) Dr. Roland Massaquoi - Minister of Agriculture
17) Joe W. Mulbah - Minister of Information
18) Thomas Woewiyou - Minister of Labour
19) Philip Kamah - Minister of National Security
20) Elias Sellee - Minister of Finance
21) Jenkins Dunbar - Minister of Lands, Mines & Energy
Presidential Press Secretary:
- Reginald Goodridge
Banking Institutions:
1) Charles Bright - Governor, National Bank of Liberia
2) Francis Dennis - President, LBDI
3) Eisenhower York - President, ACDB
4) Charles Sirleaf - President, NHSB
Security Institutions:
1) Joe B. Tate - Director, Liberia National Police
2) Martin O. N. George - Commissioner, Bureau of Immigration
3) Freddie Taylor - Director, National Security Agency
4) Benjamin Yeaten - Director, Special Security Service
5) Sumo Dangbuah - Director, National Fire Service
Autonomous Agencies:
1) Emmanuel O. Gardiner - Director, Bureau of the Budget
2) Hall Badio - Chairman, National Human Rights Commission
3) Alexander Kulue - Executive Director, LRRRC
4) Victoria Reffell - Chairman, National Reconciliation & Reintegration Commission
5) Paul N. Guah - Chairman, Elections Commission
6) Christmas A. Lawrence - Director-General, Bureau of State Enterprises
7) Randolph Cooper - Executive Director, Liberia Libyan Holding Company
8) Dr. Nathaniel Richardson - President/CEO, Liberia Mining Company
9) Dr. Q. Somah Paygai, Sr. - Chairman, National Investment Commission
10) Paul E. Mulbah - Director General, GSA
11) James Wolo - Director General, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS)
12) Jenkins Wongbay - Director General, Civil Service Agency
13) Nyan Mantehn - Registrar General, Cooperative Development Agency
14) Benoni Urey - Commissioner, Bureau of Maritime Affairs
15) Dr. James Teah Tarpeh - Director General, Institute of Public Administration
16) Raleigh F. Seekie - Auditor General, Bureau of General Auditing
17) Elijah Combay - General Manager, Liberia Domestic Airport Agency
18) Joseph Boakai - General Manager, RIA
University of Liberia:
- Dr. Frederick Gbegbe - President
John F. Kennedy Medical Center:
- Beauford Taylor - Chief Administrator
Public Corporations:
1) Kendrick Dunbar - Acting Director, MTA
2) Charles B. Roberts - Managing Director, Liberia Telecommunications Corporation
3) Roger Woodson - Managing Director, LWSC
4) Tejani Darrah - Managing Director, LPMC
5) Moses Pearson - Managing Director, National Insurance Corporation of Liberia
6) Belle Dunbar - Managing Director, LPRC
7) Elsie Dossen Badio - Managing Director, NPA
8) Dr. Ben Roberts - Managing Director, NSSWC
9) Bob Taylor - Managing Director, FDA
10) Fasue Kelleh - Managing Director, Free Zone Authority
11) J. Nahn-John Suah - Managing Director, NHA
12) Samuel N. Burnette, Jr. - Managing Director, LEC
City of Monrovia:
- Mayor: Maxwell Carter
County Superintendents:
1) Julius Parker - Montserrado County
2) Gretchen Johnson - Grand Bassa County
3) Williametta Davis - Sinoe County
4) Victor N. B. Walker - Maryland County
5) Justine Kanneh - Grand Cape Mount County
6) James Zota - Nimba County
7) John Taylor - Lofa County
8) Fulton Dunbar - B**g County
9) Ruth Milton - Grand Gedeh County
10) Ernest Palmer - Margibi County
11) Jasper M. Ben - Rivercess County
12) A. B. Anderson - Bomi County
13) Isaac Nyema - Grand Kru County
This Moment in History Courtesy of Archie P. Williams..
