Minister buys wife new car, washes it with wine

There’s anger especially among young supporters of Liberia's governing Congress for Democratic Change party after a junior minister in the office of the president was videotaped splashing expensive champagne on a luxury vehicle he had reportedly bought for his wife as a birthday gift.

The party’s youth wing describes James Emmanuel Potter’s action last week as “a reckless display of wealth”.

They say this contradicts the principles and ideology on which the party was established.

They accused the official - who’s in charge of logistics at the presidency - of being insensitive to the realty of the time, in one of Africa’s poorest countries.

But the assistant minister hit back at his critics, saying in a Facebook post he was working person earning a salary to enable him do whatever pleased him.

One Facebook user criticised the assistant minister's actions saying: "[Mr] Potter, bought his wife an Audi SUV and sprayed it with expensive bottles of champagne while the masses suffer, including Cdcians. Is this pro-poor?"

"That’s one reason they’re poor after government job. They live in luxury at the expense of the suffering poor people!" another user commented.

Others have defended the state official. One said "there is no big deal about a husband buying a car for wife. He is working and I truly believe his income can afford this little vehicle. Stop this hate".

Source: BBC