By: E. Geedahgar Garsuah
MONROVIA: With about 144 days remaining for the conduct of the much-heralded Tuesday, October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections, the newly appointed Chairman of the Strategic Engagement Committee (SEC) of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and Liberia’s Maritime Commissioner, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, has expressed explicit confidence that incumbent President George Manneh Weah will emerge as winner of the October polls.
Commissioner Nagbe is optimistic that voters will afford President Weah a second chance at the nation’s highest seat owing to the “visible and unprecedented developmental initiatives,” the CDC-led government has undertaken since it took the helm of state power on January 22, 2018.
“President Weah will be re-elected because he has significantly delivered on the first six years mandate that was given him when he took the oath of office in January 2018,” the Maritime boss stated.
According to Nagbe, President Weah has fulfilled his many campaign promises during the 2017 elections, stressing that Liberians are aware of the massive gains that have paved the pathway of ensuring that President Weah wins his bid for the second term.
Nagbe, who once served as Information Minister in the former ruling Unity Party (UP) government pointed out that taking in to consideration the massive achievements the government has made under the “visionary leadership” of President Weah, which are in fulfillment of his 2017 campaign promises, CDC is poised to win the elections.
He said: “The President made promises when he presented the agenda; which is the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), so, based on his records of delivery and performance in such a time, he should be re-elected.”
Nagbe added that deducting the two years devastating impact caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic which he (Nagbe) counted as “wasted years” that hijacked the country’s developmental agenda, nevertheless the CDC-led government’s performance is far better than the former ruling UP-led government.
The Maritime boss maintained that the CDC-led Government has accrued substantial gains in the areas of youth empowerment, infrastructure-roads, education and healthcare.
According to him, a free tuition policy scheme for tertiary learning institutions, erection of up-to-date market structures and the construction of more than 500 kilometers of asphalt pavement roads across Liberia are amongst several tangible deliverables that will land President Weah to his second term presidency.
The disbursement of the West African Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) fees for senior high students across the country made it to the list of many achievements Nagbe referenced.
He added that the construction of state-of-the-art recreational playgrounds in parts of Monrovia and the inclusion of 2,000 healthcare workers into the government’s payroll among others are noteworthy accomplishments for President Weah’s re-election quest.
Nagbe also touted the government’s horn for the increment in salaries of healthcare workers and the construction of transfer health facilities.
The Chairman of the CDC Strategic Engagement Committee, Nagbe said, “To give you a general synopsis of our strategy, we are going to be encouraging Liberians who are aware of what the President has delivered in order to give him a continuation so that he can deliver more.”
He urged CDC members, sympathizers and well-wishers to continuously spread the message of the many deliverables of the government to its beneficiaries.
In the same vein, Commissioner Nagbe cautioned CDC partisans not to waste energy and time on those he characterized as “messengers of hate and prophets of doom” who have blindly failed to acknowledged genuine effort of the government to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
At the same time, Nagbe has alleged that Nimba County Senator, Prince Y. Johnson widely regarded as Nimba political ‘godfather’ and kingmaker’ endorsement of former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai presidential bid has backfired as Nimbaians have resolved to vote President Weah.
According to Nagbe, Senator Johnson made a political mistake for which he is feeling the harsh reaction from the people of Nimba, and he is shaking right now.
He disclosed that CDC will put forth a Senatorial contender in the Nimba County Senatorial race with the aim of unseating Senator Johnson comes October.
Nagbe indicated that owing to the tremendous development initiatives the CDC-led government has undertaken in Nimba, Senator Johnson is enduring immense pressure because his (Johnson) decision to withdraw political support from the CDC did not meet the consent of Nimbaians.
“What President Weah has done and continues to do in Nimba has placed the CDC in the driving seat politically for the upcoming Presidential and Senatorial elections in the County,” according to Nagbe.
