Monrovia — Ahead of the much-publicized December 30 protest, the former Standard Bearer of the former ruling Grand old True Whig Party is calling on all political party leaders to join him in preserving Liberia’s costly and hard-earned democracy by publicly discouraging their supporters’ participation in such protest.
Mr. Eric W. Olson wants organizers of the “Weah Step Down campaign” to utilize the democratic process available in solving the down trend of the economy and the hardship being faced by Liberians.
Mr. Olson, further stated that with the level of growing economic tension, delays in the already harmonized salary payments for civil servants, compounded by the shortage of Liberian dollars banknotes, such protest seeking the step down of the President is dangerous and undemocratic.
He believes that the legitimate democratic process to address these issues has not been pursued.
“If our fellow compatriots under the banner of Council of Patriots (COP), really want to show their patriotism. They should join me in petitioning the voice of the people through the National Legislature, who is constitutionally empowered to rein in the Executive Branch and address all these issues instead of reverting to a protest that has the propensity of disrupting our already fluid and volatile democracy” the TWP former political leader emphasized.
Mr. Olson expressed extreme disenchantment in the Legislators for been so quiet and failing the people they represent by holding the Executive accountable.
He furthered that the cardinal functions of the lawmakers who are the direct representatives of the people is to check-mate the Executive, something the TWP former political leader asserted has failed to do.
According to him the legislators, who are the people’s deputies, have failed to inform the citizens on the prevailing economic crisis that has created serious tension among ordinary citizens.
Mr.Eric Olson said: “There have been no public hearings on the economic crisis, none on the lack of the Liberian Dollars in circulation, and none on the delays in civil servant salaries payment. These conditions created serious hardship for all of us, and most dreadfully, nothing on why President Weah has given no explanation of what his government has been doing to resolve these issues. No wonder, COP has taken this stance to protest”.
The former Political Leader of the Party which ruled Liberia for over a century noted that while it is right of the citizens to assemble peacefully, the volatility of the country’s situations makes it counterproductive.
“(Like the rice riot of 1979) and stated, “Not everything that is RIGHT is EXPEDIENT”. It is our appeal for COP to call-off the protest and its intent as we together pursue the most appropriate medium to resolve these situations” Mr. Olson recounted.
The former TWP Leader then called on all citizens especially all opposition leaders to join him in his effort at discouraging the staging of a demonstration which could jeopardize the fragile peace of the country and the region at-large.
Liberia’s Justice Ministry recently warned organizers of the December 30 “Weah-Step-Down” Campaign that the plan is “unconstitutional” and portends an act of treason.
In a December 2, 2019 letter addressed to the Council of Patriots, Minister Frank Musah Dean, argued that the planned protest is in violation of the law.
The COP is credited for organizing the largest mass protest against the Weah-led Government on June 7, 2019, dubbed “Save the State”, proffering to the Government a long list of demands, including curbing corruption and fixing the economy.
