By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel D. Tweah Jr., has described the youthful umbrella organization, charged to provide oversight responsibility for Liberian youth organizations, styled: Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), as “weak” and that it has “no vision.”
He urged young people in Liberia to rise to the occasion to ensure mastery of subjects relating to trending issues surrounding the development and progress of the nation.
The Finance and Development Planning Minister added that he does not see FLY as an institution but a group of people who are often used at the behest of politicians in the country.
“I have not seen FLY as an institution at all, it is a group that people often call upon to organize events in their political interests,” said Tweah.
According to Minister Tweah, the lack of vision is the only reason why FLY has not had its own headquarters for the last forty years.
He maintains that such failure speaks clearly of the lack of vision of people who previously served the institution.
“This culture of lack of vision”, he stated, “is becoming a new normal for the Liberian society wherein people think small and see the future differently by looking at now.”
“A visionary leader does not look at problems, they are not motivated by resources but they are actuated by ideas because, it is through ideas that everything else flows,” he declared.
“Money to build headquarter does not come because you require it; if that was the case, you would have had headquarter by now,” the Minister, who is also former university student leader and youth activist pointed out.
Tweah: “The question is: Why has FLY not had a headquarter or why has FLY not been an institution of national significance? Someone may say, they don’t have money. No, the reason is because, they don’t have ideas.”
Speaking over the weekend, at program marking the formal launch of “Up To Us National Youth Agenda,” by FLY, Minister Tweah narrated that in order to strengthen FLY, the group should be liberated from the “dungeon of non-existence to existence.”
According to Minister Tweah, over the years, FLY’s only existence can be traced in the pockets of people or the agenda of politicians, whenever there is a problem, despite the organization’s inclusion in the national budget.
“This is a priority we take serious: Rebranding, Reframing and Reshaping FLY. The government will be your strong partner in that exercise,” he stressed.
The Finance and Development Planning Minister explained that it is time for young people in Liberia to inaugurate the rein of truths, facts and veracity in public discourses by resisting half-baked pieces of information from politicians that may lead to negative actions.
“This country can go back to crisis because of misinformation. So, we have the responsibility to enlighten our young people to be the managers of public discourses,” Tweah intoned.
At the program held in Sinkor, Minister Tweah showered praises on FLY’s incumbent and first female President, for “the level of work and new dynamism she has brought to the group.
Ms. Banica Stephanie Elliot emerged as President of FLY during its 7th General Assembly, held recently in Monrovia.
Ms. Elliot ascended to the FLY presidency after 48-year males- dominance of its national leadership.
Minister Tweah also assured the Weah’s Administration’s unqualified support for FLY’s new leadership, now headed by Ms. Banica Stephanie Elliot, as President.
Minister Tweah further asserted that President George Manneh Weah was very intentional when he recognized Ms. Banica Stephanie Elliot as the first female President of FLY when the Liberian leader delivered his Sixth State of the Nation (SONA) before the 54th National Legislature on Capitol Hill.
