Full Text: Social media users, specifically on Facebook, were paraded with claims about a 48-day trip of former President George M. Weah during his tenure.
The claims are found here by James Goodday Flomo, as at the time of check, the post attracted 144 reactions, 157 comments, and 31 shares. Similar claims are here and here
Weah was elected in 2017, and in the 2023 elections, he was defeated after serving six years of a one-term presidency.
During his tenure, one thing that remains still a debate is a 48-day trip he had out of Liberia.
But what do we know about this trip?
The President attended the US-Africa Summit and has been out of the country since November 1, 2022. After 48 days out of the jurisdiction, he returned on December 19, 2022, 41 days in excess of the approved number of days a government official can be out of the country.
Verification: Weah departed the country for Morocco with members of his government, including Chief of Protocol Finda Bundoo, Special Aide Sekou Kalasco, Head of the Liberia Maritime Commission Lenn Eugene Nagbe, and Youth and Sports Minister D. Zeogar Wilson.
During the trip, a stop was made in Morocco after President Weah left Egypt, where he participated in COP27, the United Nations Global Climate Change Conference, which kicked off on November 6, 2022, at the Tonino Lamborghini International Convention Center in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
This conference, according to EMansion, ran from November 6 to 8, 2022, when the Liberian President left for Qatar to join some world leaders for the official opening of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
According to two separate communications sent to the Liberian Legislature, President Weah told the August body that his trip is intended to hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with his counterparts and business executives.
Then, government spokesman Ledgerhood Rennie said the president’s assignments are in furtherance of the country’s development and investments agenda.
When the announcement of the trips by Weah's government was made, there were huge criticisms by Liberians, opposition political parties and some civil society organizations in the country.
A protest was also organized by the Coalition of Collaborating Parties—an opposition alliance.
Weah extended his trip abroad by an additional 25 days. The notice of the extension was contained in a letter he dispatched to the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, 18 November. Letter to the Senate The Liberian leader had written to the Senate, informing that august body of his absence from the country from 1 November to 23 November “to hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with his counterparts and business executives.”
But a dispatch from Doha, Qatar, where Weah was the Guest of Honor of the Fifa World Cup, noted that he would return home 18 December.
Weah, according to the dispatch, attended the 13th Edition of the Peace and Sports International Forum in Monaco, France, where he served as Special Guest of Honor from 30 November to 3 December.
The Ministry of Information published a video depicting the dividend of the 48 days of travel, which includes the following:
President Weah’s Trip to Morocco bags US$50M commitment from the Hungary government for export credit facility for investment in Liberia.
15 scholarships to Liberia,increasing the number to 25 annually from the Hungary government.
Refurbishment of the port of Greenville in Sinoe County's training and technical support to the national port authority by the Tangier Med port Authority in Morroco
US$10M from carbon trading mechanism for coastal defense projects (West Point and Sinoe County) at the COP27 held in Egypt as a result of a proposal from COP26 in last year by President Weah.
Financial agreement for Qatar for Road Projects
Road Infrastructure US$100m for the phase 2 of the Gbarnga-Medekorma road and US$50M for sporing facilities in Liberia
Liberia to get US Assistance for next year (2023) elections among 6 African nations to benefit from Biden’s administration- 165 fund for US electoral support to Africa
Of the listed dividends, only number five is not verified because the road in 2022 linked with Qatar is Gbarnga to Medekorma.
Kalasco and former Presidential secretary Solo Kelgbeh were contacted to help with the itinerary; Kalasco, in response, confirmed that on 31 Oct 2022, the delegation left Liberia with the details below.
Kalasco said between December 16 and 18 there was transit and engagement, and on December 19, due to the delay, Weah and his entourage returned to the country.
We verified these dates with a press statement from Kelgbeh on the Executive Mansion Facebook page and established that some of the dates are not corroborated.
Our researcher contacted Kalasco about the disparities on July 19, but he didn't respond. It is safe to say that the US-Africa summit started on December 13, 2022.
Did the 48 days bring the Emirates Hospital?
No, the Emirates Hospital was dedicated on December 22, 2022; this means the hospital was constructed before his 48-day travel out of Liberia.
The Emirates Hospital is worth $20 million United States dollars and is seated on 52,000 square feet of land space.
Did Weah travel with 38 members?
Our researcher contacted Kalasco on the claim; he said, “I can't categorically call the number until I check, but his information is not true."
Kelgbeh, in response, said, "At no time has President Weah gone on any trip with more than 12 delegates; I like to say those that traveled with the president and returned with the president are accounted for on the president's budget. There are some people whose funds are raised by their institutions for the travel."
Our researcher checked both the Executive Mansion website using the wayback machine, an online archive, and the Executive Mansion Facebook page and found no information on the number of delegates; however, we took note of former Maritime boss Eugene Nagbe, Seward Briggs, Finda Bundoo, Clar Weah, Sekou Kalasco, and Female Security Personnel
Conclusion: Correct, Weah spent 48 days out of Liberia, but the claim that Emirates Hospital was built after this trip is false. Additionally, we will update this article when we establish the number of delegates on the 48-day trip by Weah.
