By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: The flag-bearer of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander Benedict Cummings, alias “ABC” has vowed to lead Liberia differently, if elected in the October, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections, by spending the country’s resources in the best interest of the ordinary people.
Cummings’ statement comes on the heels of incumbent President Weah’s SONA and nine months ahead of the much-awaited Presidential and Legislative elections in Liberia.
“Keeping my word means everything to me. Today, I give you my word: We will lead differently. We will lead honestly, diligently, honorably, and with integrity. Our administration will not need to spend our country’s money on me, or any member of my family. Liberia’s money belongs to the Liberian people. We will spend it on them so they have a chance to better their lives,” Mr. Cummings added.
Cummings who has repeatedly said he will defeat Weah in the 2023 elections also promised to lead by good examples including setting higher standards for those who may be in the new national leadership.
“Liberia which is endowed with many natural resources is not blessed to be cursed. Our people are not cursed to remain poor, or to be hopeless and divided,” the ANC Political Leader said in statement.
Mr. Cumming made it clear that the government is not cursed to be corrupt, uncaring and distrusting.
“Our hopes and dreams may, as yet, be unfulfilled, but our future can be better than our past. We can change the conditions of today so our glorious destiny of tomorrow can be achieved,” he stressed.
During a news conference held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, in Monrovia, Mr. Cummings pointed out that it breaks his heart that the country has lost its way under President George Weah Administration.
The CPP Political Leader described the Liberian Presidency in the hands of Mr. Weah as a “419 business.”
“Too many people’ lives depend on the honesty, integrity, discipline, judgment and decision-making of the President. Scheming every day to fool People is not what Presidents are supposed to be doing,” he said on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
According to him, faking numbers that inflation is low while prices of basic commodities are skyrocketing day will not fool the ordinary people to believe that the Liberian economy is improving.
He added: “It will not fool us to believe that the hard times are over. Rice, oil, sugar, and even Pepper and bitter balls – the price of every single basic commodity is higher today than it was when Mr. Weah became President.”
“Liberia needs trusted leaders who will know what they are doing. Liberians do not need to be lied to and given more false hopes and wishful thinking.
“Our people need to share in the wealth of our country, and equally enjoy all of the benefits and rights of their citizenship,” he stressed.
Conversely however, the Weah led government continues to trumpet its many successes in the last five years with references to roads and infrastructure, economic empowerment, jobs creation and public sector investments in health and education.
Amid the opposition leader’s vehement criticisms against his Administration, incumbent President Weah, in his Final State of the Nation Address (SONA), for the first Six Years of his constitutional Term of Office, reported to the Nation that his government has made resounding development successes and kept the peace and stability of Liberia, since the departure of the United Nations Peacekeeping troops from the country.
Weah said his government, against all odds, brought down inflation from as high as thirty percent to a single-digit rate that is now under seven percent.
