SALAYEAH DISTRICT, Lofa County — President George Weah used his speech in Salayea District Thursday to appeal to residents of Lofa County to consider him as a ‘son’ and not an outsider, promising to manifest his ‘love’ for the county with massive development projects.
“Sometimes the person you consider your son can disappoint you; and the person you consider as an outsider can be that person who will make you proud in the future,” President Weah said.
“I believe what I’m going to do for the people of Lofa County before my three years end as president will make them regard me as one of their own”.
President Weah then took a swipe at Joseph Boakai about the deplorable state of the Lofa road, despite serving as vice president for 12 years under former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. “Those you considered your son served one of the highest positions in government and yet the road leading to his native county is still deplorable. But, I have come to tell you that I, George Mannah Weah, the man whom many considered ‘stranger’ to Lofa County, will make you proud when it comes to this road,” President Weah said.
Voinjama on lockdown ahead of President Weah’s visit
President Weah is making his fourth leg county tour to Lofa County. For this visit, many schools were shut in the city.
Some commuters were seen stranded on the highway to allow a hitch-free visit, with many forced to trek to their destinations as commercial vehicles were off the roads.
There is a heavy security presence in Voinjama City as police and Executive Protection Service officers patrolled the streets.
Some roads have been painted the county’s colors of white and green, and flags of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change adorned most of the routes where President Weah’s motorcade is set to pass through.
Banners and billboards with the president’s photograph were also put up along the roads. Also, FrontPageAfrica has gathered the local government headed by superintendent William Tamba Kamba declared Friday a work-free for civil servants and both private and government schools to allow them welcome the president.
During his visit, President Weah is expected to break ground for hospital, provide loans to marketers, and hold town hall meetings to explain his government’s pro-poor agenda to residents.
An earlier planned trip to Lofa last month was aborted at the last minute, with the Executive Mansion attributing it to bad roads.