Monrovia – The head of the Coalition of Political Parties has taken President George Manneh Weah to task for repeatedly laying the blame of his administration’s failures on the opposition.
Mr. Alexander Cummings, in a Facebook post described President Weah’s recent comment during a church service that no one should blame him for the turn of events in the country but rather, the opposition, is a sad reminder of a leader who takes no responsibility. “Why is he our leader? He is basically telling you, the Liberian people, to blame those who try to hold him accountable to do for you what any good and accountable leader would do for you.”
The President, delivering a recent sermon at the City of Hope Church in Congo Town, outside Monrovia, accused members of the opposition community and those he called “clever people” of living with hatred, persistently criticizing his administration and reneging to proffer ideas and suggestions to move the country forward despite efforts being made by his government to construct roads, markets, among others.
In the midst of severe hardship and economic constraints confronting Liberia and vast majority of its citizens during this coronavirus pandemic, President Weah declared that he cannot be held liable in the future for bad state of the country.
President Weah said Liberians, particularly those from the opposition should be held responsible for the deplorable nature of the country after his tenure.
“When I was in the dungeon, I still had hope, then I am in a palace, I have double hope. For Liberia to be bad, it will not be me, it will be you because I know where I came from. I came from Gibratar to Monte Carlo. From Gibratar to Paris, from Gibratar to London, the best cities was where I lived and I know how people supposed to live, I live in this country; I suffered for this country. Those that want to be leaders must set example. For 171 years they kept talking and the country still looking like this. Some people talking for 50 years, they left. They did not come back until the democratic process. I was back and forth.”
“Why is he our leader? He is basically telling you, the Liberian people, to blame those who try to hold him accountable to do for you what any good and accountable leader would do for you.”
– Alexander B. Cummings, Chairman, Collaborating Political Parties
Fighting back, as the current chair of the largest opposition bloc in our country, Mr. Cummings says he is concerned, but not surprised that the President will not take any responsibility for the plethora of bad decisions and promises he has made, which has gotten the country to where it is today – worse off then what he inherited!! “Yet he wants you to believe that the bad state of the nation is the fault of the opposition when HE (not the “opposition”) was elected to improve the lives of the Liberian people.”
Mr. Cummings explained that a president who shifts blames and takes no responsibility is not the kind of president Liberians deserve. “This simply means he has no plans or is unwilling to fix the mess he has created for us to deal with. This is why you must not forget the laundry list of bad decisions he has made and continues to make.”
The CPP leader then outlined a number of missteps illustrating that, to the contrary, the CDC-led government is to blame and not the opposition.
Mr. Cummings declared that to the contrary, the opposition has been vocal against the failed EBOMAF and ETON scam loans, the appointment of a Nigerian to the National Elections Commission or triggered the exposure of the LD16 billion saga and US$25 million mop up scam.
The CPP leader also charged that the opposition has also challenged the postponement of the 2020 and 2023 elections to the following year or resisted the government’s attempt to violate freedom of speech by its intimidation of several essential opposition voices to include Rep. Yekeh Kolubah/ANC, Henry Costa/ALP, and Menipakei Dumoe/LP.
Additionally, the CPP leader averred, that the opposition has repeatedly challenged the ridiculous cuts in civil servants salary called harmonization, resisted the 25% cut in all employee salaries for COVID19 contributions and continues to oppose the high costs of prices of goods and services as a result of inflation.”
Mr. Cummings said the opposition has made numerous recommendations on economic revitalization to this government which have fallen on deaf ears.
He said the opposition has been vocal and exposed the President’s construction of his 47 housing units, mansion on 9th st, Jamaica resort, and other properties acquired under questionable means during his presidency.
To the contrary he said, President Weah has failed on every plan or policy they have announced, including the mineral swap deal with China, Bali Island, World Bank US$500 million loan, the 6,000 Nigerian Teachers, the construction of a coastal highway — and the controversial COVID19 Stimulus Package.
Mr. Cummings also took the President to task over the failure of the government to pay market women loans, provide free electricity during the COVID-19, Free Water and failing to implement plan to raise 500,000 Liberians out of poverty.
The CPP leader also threw jabs at the President over his famous Inauguration pledge that “Liberians will not be spectators in their own economy”.
Mr. Cummings urged Liberians to be the judge as to who’s to blame for the mishap and missteps in Liberia today. “It is clear that the only person to blame for this President’s failure is the President himself! He is the Elected President with all the constitutional powers, responsibility, and resources that come with the office. I always say, ” If you ever meet a person (especially an elected “leader”) who takes NO responsibility for their actions and blames everyone else but themselves, run far away from that person. I is even truer now.”
