Monrovia – Officials are putting the final touches on what would be nearly a week of celebrations for President-elect George Manneh Weah’s inauguration as President on Monday, January 22nd. But ceremony and circumstance do not come cheap.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
Here’s a peek at the dollars and cents behind the events in Monrovia.
The price of Inauguration Day is S$700,000.00 according to Mr. Eugene Nagbe, Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT).
The days leading up to Monday, FPA has no knowledge as the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), nor the outgoing administration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has unveiled other programs.
The transitional committee comprises friends and loyal donors of Mr. Weah.
With a staff of several hundred people, it plans all of the eye-catching events of the week, including inaugural intercessory, inaugural ceremony, inaugural luncheon, and inaugural ball on the day of the swearing-in, and a series of private dinners for the President and his private guests and incoming administration.
Law enforcement officials have been working for more than a year in order to make sure that the transfer of power goes off seamlessly.
It will be difficult to compare costs until after the week is over, but Mr. Weah‘s inauguration week could well be the cheapest in history.
Minister Nagbe said the budget was US$2 million but was cut by US$700,000 by both President-elect and outgoing President of which entertainment tops the biggest expense.
The official swearing in ceremony will be held at the Samuel Kanyon Doe complex (SKD), outside Monrovia.
Prior to the inauguration, a meeting of the presidential team for at least three times before the January 22, 2018 inauguration is held.
Some of the members of the transition team include Sylvester Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Marjon Kamara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Boima S. Kamara, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Frederick D. Cherue, Minister of Justice, Brownie J. Samukai, Minister of Defense and Eugene Nagbe, Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism.
Others include, Milton A. Weeks, Governor, Central Bank of Liberia, Mary T. Broh, Director General, GSA, Sam Gaye, Director, Executive Protection Service (EPS), Dewitt von Ballmoos, Director General, NASSCORP.
Janga Kowo, Secretary General of CDC disclosed that up to date the party is still awaiting confirmation from invitees and cannot reveal the guests for the inauguration.
He said there will be joint county celebration in the 15 counties, which members of the Coalition will collaborate with government officials in the counties.