By Justice Randall Clarke
VOINJAMA, June 5 (LINA) – “I came. I saw. I heard. And the choice is mine. This is why I am calling on you to support the Government in the interest of your people,” President George Weah told Lofa County lawmakers, including those in opposition, at the jammed-packed ceremony in the capital, Voinjama, upon his heroic entry in the county..
The President was appreciating county officials as well as the tens of thousands of citizens who came out largely on Friday to welcome and embrace him and his entourage as part of his ‘Thank You’ tour of the various counties – Lofa being the fourteenth to visit.
“We’re struggling every day working for you. Sleep is not part of our agenda,” said President Weah, as he responded to the position statement of the county.
The statement, among other necessities, highlighted the need for the full commencement of the construction of the Gbarnga-Mennikorma road corridor, and the promotion of more opportunities to promote agriculture.
Reflecting on the fact that he broke grounds for the construction of said road in 2017 alongside former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President Weah told Lofaians that: “You are on the list. Your roads will be paved. I believe we should continue the road for the people so that we grow more food because agriculture cannot be better without good roads.”
Multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and African Development Bank are helping the government of Liberia to accomplish, among other corridors, the Gbarnga to Mennikorma road.
The statement delivered to the President by the local government encompassed the positions and requests of all stakeholder institutions in Lofa, and it extensively pinpointed the development of a number of county development priorities that can make Lofa contribute more to the national economy as a result of having a strong circular economic flow.
Among the requests to the President is the elevation of the Lofa County Community College to a full undergraduate degree-granting institution that will ease the burden on the high school graduates and their parents.
The chairman of the Lofa County Legislative Caucus, Steve Zargo, who’s a stalwart of the opposition Unity Party, said’ “We have a challenge, Mr. President …if you do the road; the sky is your limit. This is a win-win situation – do the Lofa road!”
To that end, the President said it was time that lawmakers from the county collaborate with the Executive in delivering on programs that will change the living standard of the people.
And while agreeing with the line of vote Lofaians took in 2017—largely in favor of kinsman then vice President Joseph Boakai, the President said the electorate in the county actually made him to secure the Presidency, given the significant number of ballots cast for him.
The Liberian leader “frankly” acknowledged that when he first went to Lofa citizens to seek their support, they did not know better therefore it was obvious that they voted for their “father”, then Vice President Boakai.
According to him, the line of their votes was also indicative of their support to Administrations.
“But we are here now to support us. I am your son now. Your father, your uncle is not in government now. We have to take care of him. Lofa, you are special to me.
“We’ll be coming back to you in 2023, people of Lofa! People who came to you and said I’m angry with you but why should I be angry? I don’t understand. It was the vote that you gave me that made me president. So the friendship I saw out there when I came back here, I want that friendship to continue,” President Weah said.
