Monrovia – The All Liberian Party (ALP) will be launching its elections campaign in a matter of hours and thousands of partisans have gathered at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in central Monrovia awaiting the arrival of the political leader.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
A key population amongst supporters and sympathizers of the ALP’s political leader Mr. Benoni Urey are members of the disable community who have gathered here in their numbers inn a show of support for his victory.
Wheel chair bound Alex Kerkula told FrontPageAfrica that of all the 20 presidential candidates, it’s only Mr. Urey has constantly attended to their plights as a disable community.
“I came here to support Mr. Urey because he is a man that cares about us.”
“Even his daughter, anytime she’s passing and she sees us, she will stop and give us something. I believe if we vote for him he’ll help us because we’ve suffered enough,” he said.
Alex begs for alms in central Monrovia and its suburbs to make ends meet. According to him, the disabled community is often forgotten about and abandoned; therefore, they need a leader who will be responsive to their needs.
Julie Sando, 65, also wheelchair bound, said she considers Mr. Urey as her father and she would support him until he wins the presidency.
In typical Liberian English she said, “Urey da our pa. Da man good to us. We been suffering in this country and nobody paying attention to us. Our Pa Urey will help us,” she said.
Many other physical challenged who spoke to FrontPageAfrica at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium said they would a government that would be sensitive to people living with disability.
Paul Nyumah expressed disenchanted that many government agency buildings are not friendly to people living with disabilities.
“Look at many other those buildings, we can’t enter with wheelchairs, so even if you apply how would you go to work?” he asked.
He said, whichever government takes over from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf must be very inclusive and must take into consideration the disabled community.
Being a successful business man, Urey has promised to make public private partnerships agreements with investors for factories in every county in Liberia.
He has also ensured his supporters that he will reopen the Agriculture Cooperative Development Bank, giving farmers the funds they need to expand production.
According to him, he will strengthen healthcare delivery and provide free healthcare for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children under five.