Monrovia – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf seems to no longer hide her feelings about how she feels about the local media.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
She criticized them for not promoting her developmental agenda and projects and accused them of talking “trash.”
President Sirleaf said: “I like what you have as motto of the National Port Authority (NPA), “Talk Less, Do More.” I wish all Liberians took this to heart and follow that maybe our radio stations would now carry things that talk about development, talk about building society and not talk so much trash.”
The President spoke Friday, December 15, when she had gone to dedicate some developmental initiatives in the port yard.
As she addressed the audience further, she expressed fear that the current board members of the port could be considered “endanger species” as she prepares to leave the helm of power.
President Sirleaf also stressed the need for the current management of the FreePort of Monrovia to recognize those board members.
In her dedicatory remarks, the Liberian leader recalled in 2006, when her government took over, how bad the situation was with the Freeport, including its infrastructure.
According to the President, the situation at the Freeport of Monrovia, specifically when the peer was appalling and the government needed the intervention of the private sector.
“We had no means of fixing it recognizing that if it had falling into the water, we would have had no means in rebuilding our country that is why we had private sector involved and so APM Terminals came in.
“Our country has come a long way in every endeavour we have undertaken.”
“There are challenges no doubt but development takes a long time.
It takes dedication, commitment and hard work and the only ones who are to develop their country are the nationals.
Unless they take responsibility, the country will never achieve its goals.”
The Liberian President, who is now counting her days in office, wants a better and efficient port and the reduction in cost for the use of the facilities.
She alluded to challenges in moving goods out of the port.
She also wants the port to be managed on its own, in a way that it would be seeking to make profit and contribution to the national development.