Margibi County – Rev. Alexander B. Collins is an aspirant in the upcoming December 8 senatorial elections that every aspirant in Margibi County are watching as the date draws near.
Among nine aspirants, he is one of the eight male aspirants who have declared their intention to lead the 36-year-old county for next nine years.
He is ought to face incumbent Senator Oscar A. Cooper, Ivar K. Jones, lawmaker of Margibi County’s electoral District Two, Emmanuel Gonquoi, Commander-In-Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL), Princess Macaulay, an entrepreneur and Gabriel Bedell, an entrepreneur, former House Speaker Emmanuel J. Nuquay of the People Unification Party, Ben A. Fofana of Margibi’s fourth district, and Mulbah Jackollie, former principal of Booker Washington Institute.
Despite the names above, Rev. Collins is very hopeful that he is the best to represent the county because his strong relationship with the religious leaders, especially pastors of Margibi County.
He is known for his effort that triggered the establishment of Sister City Relationship amongst two Cities of Margibi County and two US Cities into votes for the Liberian Senate.
His New Horizons Resource, a Minnesota nonprofit organization that focuses on transformation program to help disadvantaged youth and adult to think for change. initiated and led the establishment of two Sister City Relationship-Brooklyn Park, Minnesota-Kakata, Margibi County and Isanit City, Minnesota-Unification City, Margibi County.
The Successful establishment of these two sister city relationships has enhanced travels and exchanges amongst all four cities involved and has allowed the US Cities to send police vehicle, accessories and medical supplies.
He is currently contesting as independent after the National Elections Commission unveiled the provisional listings of candidates.
Born and Raise in Margibi
Since his declaration of intent to contest, there has been claim that he does not know his root though he is a citizen of Margibi County and resident of the United States of America.
But in facts, Rev. Collins born in Division 25, firestone on April 20, 1973 is the child of Mr. Moses Gbaiyetolee Kollie and Mother Mary Nyapue Bango and grandson of Nyemah Bango.
His father was a rubber tipper and a supervisor for his team, a Kpelle by tribe, a dialect he speaks fluently.
Growing up, Rev. Collins lived in Kakata for a while and later attended and graduated from the Ganta United Methodist Mission High school
During school break, he always went back to Kakata to stay with his grandmother Nyemah Bango, great-grandfather Oldman Bango, and Uncle Mr. Henry Bango.
He considered his parents and grandparents as the most influential people on his life because his upbringing as they thought him Margibi’s values and ideas (to love and serve with humanity.
For his education background, Rev. Collins holds a Master of Divinity (M. Div.) and Bachelor of Arts from Acts College in Minnesota USA.
He also holds a Mini-Master of Business Administration-MBA Executive Education Certificate in Nonprofit Management from St. Thomas University, Minnesota.
Rev. Collins is a graduate of the Minnesota Peace Building Leadership Institute and holds a certificate in peacebuilding leadership
He is also a graduate of the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute, and a graduate of the Minneapolis Federal Bureau of Investigation-FBI Citizen Academy, Minnesota.
The Margibi senatorial aspirant is a graduate of Twin Cities RISE! Empowerment Leadership Institute, and a Certified Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), Minnesota Institute of Correction and the National Center for Credentialing.
At the same time, he is a Certified Offenders Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS), Minnesota National Institute of Correction, etc.
For over ten years, he is known as a career coach and has taught in the Unites States of America.
Let’s make the Change now
Rev. Collins contesting the 2020 Senatorial Mid-term Elections has outlined several pillars as his focus when he is elected.
He said there is a need for genuine Leadership, Clear Vision, Real Impact, and Legacy-Driven. “If You Want Real Change, Then Make Real Change! The truth is if we want to go to where we have never been, we must do what we have never done. “
“Over the past nine years Margibi has remained underdeveloped and underrepresented at the capitol and in the county. The people of Margibi County are not better off today than they were nine years ago. They are ready for a real change and can’t afford another nine years with no real impact, but more of the same!”
According to him, a Legacy-Driven Leadership, accountable, and transparent representation, oversight, and lawmaking is the kind of representation he seeks on behalf of the county, “I seek to write a bill and vote for bills that will put Liberia and Liberians first.”
He promised to encourage electronic voting in the Senate that will make his votes on issues in the Senate public— the goal is to encourage accountability and transparency in how the Liberian Senate conducts business.
A functional website will be set up where Margibians can follow his votes and works in the Senate.
Like Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, Rev. Collins has promised to make public his salary to the county.
“I will give 35 percent of my total salary monthly to the county to be managed and invested into the county by a transparent county development team reflecting all five districts.”
“10 percent of the 35 percent will be monthly given to the Margibi Community of Faith—Christians and Muslims.
Rev Collins said he will avoid taking county sitting fees for any county sitting and will make report and solicit feedback from county stakeholders at least two times a year.
According to him, a Diaspora Constituent Services Director will be appointed to effectively engage Margibians and friends of Margibi in the Diaspora and his office staff will comprise individuals from all five districts of the County and will hire or appoint two Constituent Services Directors for both lower and upper Margibi.
Agriculture and Education Included
The Margibi senatorial aspirant also named Agriculture, Education, quality healthcare, public safety,
Rev. Collins promised to advocate and Support National and County Food Sufficiency through Prioritized Agriculture.
“I will fight to Increase subsistence farming, to subsidized commercial farmers and advocate for government officials to engage into real and verifiable commercial farming to support the country and county’s self-sufficiency.”
For Education, Rev. Collins said he will continue to connect schools in Margibi County and the diaspora that will seek to bring in international graduation speakers.
“I will advocate and bring into the county an internationally accredited University–higher institution of learning and name it Kuta (Kpelle-One of Us) National University or the University of Margibi.”
Rev. Collins said he will prioritize quality healthcare and foster national, regional, and international healthcare relationships to improve country healthcare.
“I will find resources to support and strengthen current healthcare facilities in the county and as a long-term plan, he will seek to build the Queleboano (Kpelle—Wellness) Regional Hospital to help address the growing healthcare needs in the county.”
He promised to seek support that will enhance public safety & support county law enforcement agencies by building more relationships between the county law enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies in other developed countries.
Rev. Collins said Margibi needs a modern police stations and he intends to seek help to ensure that Margibi gets a modern police station.
“I am concerned that a county of over 200,000 people, having almost 200 police officers have only one police car and when I am elected, I will ensure through vigorous advocacy that the Police in the county get additional cars. more police cars
On Human Potential Development, Rev. Collins believes that Liberia will secure the future when fathers take their rightful place at home, in the lives of their children, and in the marketplace.
Therefore, he intends to establish the Margibi Fatherhood Alliance, the Margibi Association of Next Generation Leaders, and intends to establish the Margibi Small Business Support Initiative (MSBPI).
He desires to advocate and seek to build modern Children Playground or Park; as a certified leadership, career, and life coach.
He believes that spiritual strength is important to country and county growth and therefore, he will advocate and support the Margibi Muslim Imams and Community Development by finding meaningful ways to enhance the work of the Margibi County Imams and the Muslim Community, encourage pilgrimages to Mecca by Margibi Muslims and offer support.
Reaching Out Now
Since the Coronavirus, Rev. Collins and his wife-Elder Rebecca Collins, have donated an ambulance to the CH Rennie Hospital and as agreed, that ambulance is yet to be shipped by the county authority.
Also, they donated 150,000.00 Liberian Dollars to 10 community radio stations in Margibi County Liberia; 147,000.00 Liberian Dollars to 10 high schools to assist teachers with transportation as they prepare students for the 2020 WASSEC and 75 bags of 25kg rice and $75,000.00 LD with a thousand Liberian dollar given each to 75 senior religious leaders -50 Pastors and 25 Imams.
Recently, he gave $26,000.00LD to Lango Lippaye students when he spoke to them about ‘Courageous leadership and effective living.
He also gave $20,000.00 LD to Harbel Multilateral High School seniors when he visited them.
Rev. Collins donated police uniforms and other accessories to the Police and has led the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) Kakata-Hennepin Technical College, Minnesota project which was intended to have Hennepin Technical College to help BWI become a technical College etc.
Meanwhile, he has established sister city for Kakata and Unification cities and has promised to ensure that Marshall City gets a Sister City in the USA and will seek to travel with the Mayor of Marshall City to the USA.
“We all know that as a county, things are not looking good for us, our children, and our future. Together, we can change this!
“We can move Margibi forward. Let’s make it work for our children and for our future. Let’s make real change to have real change,” he said.