By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: When George Weah’s Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), defeated the erstwhile regime of the Unity Party (UP), of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2017, CDC lauded Madam Sirleaf for an illustrious 12 years that included a high-profile posting from its surrogates that Ellen was the president of her time.
“I will grade the Sirleaf’s administration with eighty percent for the level of work,” said then, opposition leader, Weah, now President of Liberia.
But in the years that followed, the former ruling party, (UP), has come under scrutiny for a pattern of conducts that appear atypical (uncharacteristic) of the upright government the CDC thought it was.
Confidential dossiers (records) from authoritative sources in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, suggest that the erstwhile ruling Unity Party (UP) led regime, despite receiving over US$4 billion in Foreign Aid failed to improve the country in terms of development as compared to the current CDC-led regime that reportedly received US$1 billion since its inception.
The documents detailed that while the UP, now headed by Ambassador Joseph Boakai, received more Foreign Aid, it could not improve domestic revenue collection.
As per domestic revenue statistics, the then UP-led ruling establishment (regime), raised $463.79M, as its highest while the current CDC-led administration, according to records, pushed domestic revenue to $579.03M in the face global crises.
According to the dossiers from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the UP-led government “downside” and denied over 5,000 citizens income when it ascended to state power in 2006.
According to the records, the UP-led government, then, did not put volunteer teachers on state payroll as opposed to the CDC led government that placed over 2,850 volunteer teachers on the payroll.
While in political power from 2013 to 2027, according to the Records, the then UP regime increased the salaries of public officials to a mouthwatering US$25,000 even though the incumbent CDC-regime reduced it to US$5,600.
According to government insiders, President Weah uses these records to rally his people during these campaign periods.
His supporters, last Friday, during a CDC Rally chanted: “Weah’s second term.”
After nearly six years of administration, Weah’s fate for re-election is scheduled to be decided on Tuesday, October 10 this year.
Under government payroll, the documents from the Finance Ministry said, “highest monthly salary paid in US to medical doctors: UP $700 – CDC $2000. Lowest salary paid: UP $45 –CDC $150.
Highest monthly salaries paid to Master level instructor at UL and Tubman University: UP: US$1,100 –CDC $2000.”
The dossiers show that more Liberians are connected to the electricity grid under President Weah than other former Liberian administrations.
According to the documents, a total of 973, 570 people are receiving electricity supplies or ‘current’ in Liberia.
Document: “The total length in kilometers of all community roads paved: UP 25Km and the CDC 105Km.”
“The total length of roads paved in Km in the six years: UP 200Km while the CDC is 347Km,” the document added.
According to some public sector analysts, comparing these development records of the Unity Party’s 12 years in power to the CDC’s 6 six year in power, it signals that the CDC led government is better in terms of quality governance.
The dossiers reflect thematic areas including, ‘Aid and Domestic Revenue,’ ‘Government payroll,’ ‘Electricity,’ and ‘Road.’
