MONROVIA – When President George Manneh Weah announced on Friday that he would not renew the state of emergency after June 9, Liberians took to social media questioning the highly-trumpeted food distribution as part of a stimulus package that was to compensate for the lockdown. The itchy issue was that it appeared to some citizens yet another failed promise coming from the government.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
At the onset of the state of emergency and the implementation of several health protocols which affected the livelihood of citizens, President George Weah requested the Legislature to re-appropriate US$25 million for the remainder of the 2019/2020 budget year in support of the government’s stimulus package to facilitate food distribution for designated households for 60 days.
“The full costing to cover this period in affected and other areas may add up to around $40 million. The World Bank has agreed to finance this gap off-budget to the tune of US$10 million, using resources reallocated from existing projects,” Pres. Weah said in his communication to the legislature.
The stimulus package, according to the President’s plan was to further help the banks to increase lending to new borrowers. He reminded lawmakers that the Liberian government holds a large stock of domestic debt spanning more than a decade and servicing the debt has always been a challenge for the government.
Dillon: Free Rice May Never Come
One of the Senators for Montserrado County, Abraham Darius Dillon (Liberty Party), who strongly differed with his colleagues on the speedy passage of the recast budget, thereby, calling them “spineless and useless” on Saturday took to social media insinuating that the much-talked-about food package may never be actualized. Sen. Dillon believes the money being pumped into the food distribution could be more meaningful if its redirected into aiding school tuitions for students are the country is about to see the gradual reopening of schools.
He wrote: THINKING ALOUD about the over TWENTY-FIVE Million Dollars for “free rice” that may never come!
As schools are about to be reopened, what if we redirected this amount toward paying the 1st semester school fees of all students in grade schools across the country? What if….!!!
This singular decision would be more impactful and felt by nearly every home across the country.
This kind of intervention would also be needed and very helpful especially to all poor parents and self-supporting students, and same would give our people some time and space to prepare to take their own financial burdens for the 2nd semester and going forward.
Min. Tarpeh: Food Distribution Not 419
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Prof. Wilson Tarpeh who heads the committee set by the President to spearhead the food distribution told residents of Peace Island Community over the weekend that the government’s promise is not “419” (a scam).
“The money has come. The President has intervened and the money has come… Millions of dollars are coming. Yesterday, we received another US$50 million from the IMF. That’s in addition to the US$169 million from the EU and the other people and the US$640,000 from the United States government. The distribution will start next week and then the following week, we will issue a plan that tells everybody in the country which community and what time.”
– Prof. Wilson Tarpeh, Minister of Commerce and Industry
He disclosed that the government remains committed to the course as they have received several financial supports to the food aid.
“This government is not a rush-rush government,” he said.
According to him, the government has been carrying out planning to ensure that when the implementation would work.
He disclosed that 30 years ago, the World Food Program carried out similar food distribution in the country.
He assured the residents of Peace Island that enumerators would visit the community on Tuesday to begin marking their houses as they, the residents, would be fully improved in the distribution of the food.
“The money has come. The President has intervened and the money has come… Millions of dollars ae coming. Yesterday, we received another US$50 million from the IMF. That’s in addition to the US$169 million from the EU and the other people and the US$640,000 from the United States government. The distribution will start next week and then the following week, we will issue a plan that tells everybody in the country which community and what time,” he said.
He said some of the rice and vegetable oil to be distributed would be bought from dealers here in Liberia in a bid to boost the economy. He said, by so doing, about US$5 million would be pumped into the economy.