By E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.
MONROVIA: In continuation of what seems to be a trustworthy itemization of the ‘manifold, tangible, people-centered and indelible national development achievements’ of former global soccer legend, George Manneh Weah, since his historic and heroic ascendency to the Liberian Presidency in 2018, The ‘Investigative’ INDEPNDENT Newspaper, herein, lists the incumbent President’s gains and challenges five years into the end of his first six-year constitutional term of office as contained in his Government’s national development FACTSHEET, recently released in Monrovia.
Our latest publication represents Part Two of the government’s itemization of the gains as contained in the latest development FACTSHEET issued by the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), led Government of Liberia.
The FACTSHEET mainly highlights the significant development achievements of President Weah and his government, contrary to the snowballing claims by hardcore critics of his Administration and some opposition politicians that Weah’s Presidency has miserably failed the Liberian nation, hence; it should be booted out of state power during the much-heralded October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
In Part One of our publication, on Monday, January 23, 2023, it was emphasized that as the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections draw closer, the frequent question on the lips of Liberians from all walks of life is whether or not incumbent President Weah has translated his success story from the soccer pitch to the Executive Mansion when he took the oath of office on January 22, 2018.
President Weah, confident of himself, during formal ceremony marking his inaugural program on January 22, 2018, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sport Complex in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, assured the enormous gathering of Liberians and foreign dignitaries including an array of distinguished African leaders who graced the colorful occasion that he would deliver on his 2017 campaign promises to lead Liberia towards proper governance and development trajectory.
“My fellow citizens, ladies and gentlemen:
On this day of inauguration, as we begin to build upon the foundation of this New Liberia, I, George forky klon jlaleh gbah ku gbeh Tarpeh Manneh Weah, your new President, must first give thanks and praises to the Almighty God for the blessings he has bestowed on our country. And I say my people, thank you, yaaaaaaaaa for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the effort to build this new and better Liberia,” President Weah told the cheering nation, then.
President Weah: “It will be my task, my duty, and my honor, to lead this nation from division to National Unity, and toward a future of hope and prosperity. I have here taken an oath before you, and before the Almighty God, to uphold our constitution and to preside over this Government and this country to the best of my abilities.
“REST ASSURED, I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!!”
“MY FELLOW LIBERIANS: My greatest contribution to this country as President may not lie in the eloquence of my speeches, but will definitely lie in the quality of the decisions that I will make over the next six years to advance the lives of poor Liberians,” the president added at the colorful occasion, amid a tumultuous applause from the gathering.
To answer the crucial question bordering on Weah’s success or failure, which keen observers say remains the bedrock upon which the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led government may stand any chance of reelection in October, The ‘Investigative’ INDEPENDENT took critical glance at the governing CDC-led government five years stewardship of the Liberian nation as opined or specified by both the Government and its supporters as well as Weah-led Administration’s critics and other opposition political leaders in the country.
Already, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and democratic institutions including some pro-democracy rating organizations have begun releasing their individual perspectives, bordering on what they consider as government’s performance card, covering five years period as of 2018.
One of such organizations, NAYMOTE Partners for Democratic Development, in its recently released report, indicated that 292 promises were extracted from the President’s Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Manifesto of 2017, speeches delivered during the 2017 presidential campaign, the President’s inaugural address, annual messages to the Legislature, Presidential Priority Projects (3Ps) and the Government’s flagship development agenda, the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), among others.
NAYMOTE is one of Liberia’s foremost pro-democracy advocacy organizations that has been tracking President Weah and his Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led Government activities over the last five years through its President Meter (Weah Meter).
The NAYMOTE’s flagship project, under the banner: “Weah Meter,” engages in the tracking of, and reporting on promises made by President Weah and the CDC-led government since Weah’s ascendancy to state leadership.
According to NAYMOTE, only 24 promises, constituting eight percent, have been completed, 91- amounting to 31 percent, still ongoing and a whopping 177 – equating to 61% has not started.
“The findings of this assessment show that President George Weah and his government are yet to implement nearly two-thirds of the promises they have made to the people of Liberia,” NAYMOTE stated.
“Numerous promises have been made, over the years, on poverty reduction, infrastructural development, and social service delivery, rule of law, government accountability, and decentralization, among others.
“Delivering on promises made in campaign manifestos and policy statements is important for sustaining trust between the government and the citizens; conversely, failing to deliver undermines trust and confidence in the authority of the government,” NAYMOTE’s Executive Director, Eddie Jarwolo intoned.
On Tuesday, October 10, 2023, the first six years tenure of President George Manneh Weah will officially come to end, as registered Liberians voters are expected to converge at the ballot box in what many political pundits described as decisive 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections for new national leadership for another constitutional six-year term.
The Presidency of Weah is considered historic by many keen political analysts and observers, owing to the fact that it originated from the first democratic transition of political power for the past 73 years in Liberia.
Moreover, prior to his victory in the 2014 Senatorial Elections for Montserrado County, Weah has had no involvement or perhaps any significant knowledge of Liberia’s political Chemistry.
In other words, many analysts, then, believe strongly that the man, George Weah, was not part of the country’s political gurus as compelled with others who knew the country’s political terrine.
Also, before venturing into the muddy and/ or the somewhat topsy-turvy (chaotic) Liberian leadership politics, President Weah has only been widely known locally and internationally for his astute prowess on the soccer pitch, beginning on a mini-football field, situated in his childhood community of Gibraltar on the Bushrod Island, a densely populated slum community, outside Monrovia.
The history of Weah’s success on the football pitch is a one that marvels many in the soccer world. As an amateur footballer, then, Weah started his footballing career with the Invincible Eleven (IE) from where he graciously made his way to Cameroon and subsequently to Europe.
While in Europe, it is unquestionably recorded that Weah left indelible marks of success on the pages of football’s history by being the first ever African player to have won the World Best Footballer Award including Africa’s and Europe’s best player in 1995.
However, the latest FACTSHEET from the government indicates formally that the Weah-CDC-led Administration has made multiple and gigantic development gains in the key areas of education, health, roads construction, peacebuilding and gender portfolios with a sound monetary and fiscal policies that helped in boosting Liberia’s microeconomic stability and growth.
According to the government’s FACTSHEET which is in the possession of this paper, the CDC-led administration has been able to institute appropriate and well-thought-out mechanisms that have reduced extreme poverty in Liberia by 8% over the last year as contained in the World Poverty Lab Index, while achieving a growth rate of 5% in 2022 with a medium term outlook to approach 6%.
According to the FACTSHEET, the incumbent Weah government provided agricultural grants to more than 60,000 farmers across the country.
Aimed at strengthening and maximizing agricultural activities, the government constructed 200-kilometer roads.
On infrastructural development, the FACTSHEET referenced the construction of an up-to-the-minute new Headquarters of the National Port Authority (NPA), Liberia Petroleum and Refinery Corporation (LPRC), Liberia Maritime Authority, and the National Fishery and Aquaculture Authority (NAFFA).
The connection of more than 233 kilometers of primary roads between the years 2018-2022 also made it to the government’s success story as highlighted by the FACTSHEET.
The CDC-led government also showcased the successful construction of 116kilometers of roads in urban communities across the country. The ongoing construction of the Monrovia-Roberts International Airport Highway (RIA) road and the construction of more than 620kilometer of primary roads in various parts of the country made it to the list of the government’s achievements.
Touching on human rights and the rule of law, the government highlighted the Enactment and Passage of the Dual Citizens law which protects the citizenship of natural born Liberians; the expansion of courts throughout the country.
The Weah Administration mentioned its increased support to the Judicial Branch of government to enhance social justice and the rule of law, and freedom being enjoyed by all including politicians and other adamant government critics, none of whom had been placed behind bars.
These measures are aimed at fostering peace, human rights and the rule-of-law, among others.
The government also touted its success for keeping the price of Liberia’s staple food, rice, stable at US$13 per 25kilogram bag for almost five years.
The FACTSHEET mentioned the forfeiture of over US$10million in revenue in fuel taxes by the government during the COVID-19 Pandemic as a way of keeping the price of fuel at a stable rate.
Additionally, the Weah-led government expended US$14million over two consecutive budget year to support the importation of rice due to the COVID-19 and the Ukraine and Russia armed conflict.
Touching on its gains on energy, the FACTSHEET indicated that 140,000 households or 800,000 persons been connected to the power grid since President George Weah’s ascendency to state power.
More-to-that, US$65million was invested in the energy sector to secure electricity from Ivory Coast through the CLSG electric power lines.
It cited the reduction in the cost of electricity from US35cents per kilowatt hour to US$21 cents per kilowatt among many other gargantuan national development gains.
