Monrovia – The Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Samuel Tweah, has reassured the United Nations and other development partners of a more holistic framework in seeing the country move in the right direction.
Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]
Speaking at the first meeting with the United Nations and other development partners in the country held at the Pan African Plaza in Sinkor Tuesday, the new MFDP boss disclosed that over the next few weeks the government and partners will have to design a roadmap for the new framework.
“We have the fresh opportunity to restart, and then look at these things in a more cohesive, holistic and strategist way together as a team.”
“There has to be a convergence in the prospective between the government and the partners; this is what we are pushing for,” Tweah said.
The Minister also called on the partners to work with the government to have a deadline on how the new framework will be put in place.
“We already have the 150 days deliverable. Maybe in the next few weeks we will begin to move toward the national strategy vision.”
“So, let work together as a team and start achieving very soon. We don’t want to spend a lot of time meeting and planning and the results are lacking,” he said.
The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Yacoub El Hillo.
Over the past years, corruption was considered a major factor impeding the country’s development but at the meeting, the MFDP Minister said, the new government will take the fight against corruption to a new level.
“The President is committed to fighting corruption and from a budget stand point, we are going to minimize waste,” he said.
Minister Tweah said the government will put in place strategies that will empower lots of young people in the country.
Also, the Minister pledged that the government will work with the private sector in solving the growing problems.
“The share of money going to the private sector is going to increase under this administration,” he said.
He added that the government is going to find a way to speed up development in the areas of agriculture, adding that government will be able to buy the products from farmers, who have complained about the lack of roads as a major challenge.
“We will introduce feeding in school with local produce.”
“The farmers’ children will be eating while they are in school and the farmer will be able to get income for their crops they grow,” he said.
He praised the United Nations and development partners for their supports they provided to the country years.
“You are going to be a key partner in the transformation of this country”, he said.
Also, the DSRSG assured the UN commitment to continue working with the new government.
“We stand ready to work with you on your new development,” Hillo assured.