WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — A growing number of concerned Navajo citizens are calling on Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren to uphold his responsibilities and duties as the elected president and to address the increasing failures of his administration.
“Council delegates are out in the communities and we receive an alarming amount of complaints, calls for action, and demands for accountability directed at President Nygren, who is consistently absent from meaningful community meetings aside from photo-op events,” Speaker Crystalyne Curley said in a press release published June 18. “I have reached out to the President personally on several occasions with no response from him. This is a critical time that requires assertive leadership to address many local and federal issues.”
Council members have received concerns from Navajo citizens related to the Nygren Administration’s failures to address and advance the completion of ARPA funded projects, veterans services, road improvements, state and federal advocacy, public safety issues, and many other critical needs.
On June 17, the Council’s Health, Education, and Human Services Committee welcomed a group of Navajo veterans who marched to the President’s office to voice their important matters and seek solutions. Nygren failed to meet with the veterans and hear their concerns.
Nygren issued a letter June 17 placing blame on the Council for Navajo communities that “suffer from crumbling roads, aging infrastructure, and a lack of basic services like electricity and clean water” — services and projects that fall under the direct management of Nygren and his administration. The President then issued a press release the same day, once again deflecting blame and attempting to redirect responsibility onto others.
The President also accused the Council of targeting several of his appointed directors, who have yet to be confirmed to serve in their positions as required by Navajo law. The majority of the unconfirmed directors have served in acting capacity for an extensive period of time, in some cases, years.
Under Navajo Nation law, it clearly states:
“The Navajo Nation Council shall confirm the appointments of all division directors upon recommendation from the appropriate oversight committee. The President shall present the appointments at the next Navajo Nation Council session following the date the appointments are made.”
Despite this legal mandate, Nygren has yet to fully comply with the process required to confirm his appointed directors within vital divisions that are tasked with providing direct services to the Navajo people.
“Many of my Council colleagues agree that this delay caused by President Nygren has disrupted the proper functioning of Navajo government services, slowed policy implementation, and contributed to confusion and inefficiencies within key areas of the Nygren administration, including healthcare, education, economic development, and public safety,” Curley said.
Curley issued a letter June 17 responding to the President’s statements and called for him to meet with the Council immediately to move forward on a more positive path. The Council has called on the President on numerous occasions to meet and discuss solutions and opportunities to expedite infrastructure projects and initiatives.
She added that these issues should be addressed in person among leadership before issuing public statements and deflecting blame, as Nygren has done.
“The Navajo people expect and deserve a government that functions in unity, but the President’s actions and public statements undermine the real issues that his administration is failing to address,” Curley said. “While the Navajo people continue to wait to see the progress that President Nygren promised during his campaign, our children, elders, veterans, and families are being ignored by President Nygren.”
In addition to the failure to confirm appointed directors, concerns have grown over Nygren’s lack of transparency and responsiveness to the public. Numerous community members and officials have expressed frustration with stalled initiatives, and insufficient communication from the Office of the President and Vice President.
Meanwhile, the Council has approved several key legislations that provided hundreds of millions of dollars to the Executive Branch to renovate and construct senior centers and to fund housing, water lines, and electricity for Navajo families. The Council has also adopted resolutions to establish state and federal policy positions to stand up for Navajo students, federal treaty obligations, and much more.
In a May 16th letter to the Council, Nygren reported that his office employs 42 staff members — a substantial increase in personnel compared to all previous presidents.
Curley added that the Council has gone above and beyond to deliver legislation that provides funding, more than adequate staffing, and additional resources for Nygren and the Executive Branch to fulfill and complete projects and to improve direct services for the Navajo people. “
“Yet, Council Delegates often find themselves serving as project managers, liaisons, and fulfilling duties that President Nygren and his team are responsible for,” she said. “As the Speaker of the Council, I will not tolerate the district that President Nygren is displaying toward our Nation’s leaders and his lack of action to address the needs of our Navajo people. We stand ready to meet with President Nygren and Vice President Montoya to receive their solutions and discuss a path forward.”
