MONROVIA – The Political Leader of the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), Simeon Freeman, says the government’s continuous refusal to produce a budget performance report and the country’s huge expenditure on some unnecessary missions have caused the country to struggle to develop, while locals suffer to get a daily meal and civil servants receive low salaries, among other issues.
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr(231886458910)[email protected]
Freeman believes Liberia does not need too many foreign missions, ministries, and agencies of government as is the case during previous and current regimes. “When I become president, I, with the approval of the Legislature, will reduce the number of Liberia’s foreign missions and condense the many government ministries and agencies to save the Country money that could be invested in the private sector to boost our Gross Domestic Product or GDP,” he said.
Mr. Freeman is also a businessman who runs the Consolidated Group Liberia Inc., a service provider for DSTV Liberia. He noted that the much-needed financial resources being used to pay hundreds of Foreign Service officers, ambassadors, ministers, assistant ministers, and directors of public corporations and agencies can be used in relevant areas through which citizens will benefit from opportunities to improve their lives.
Commenting on the number of counties created over the years, Freeman said there was no need to split existing counties to create more counties, adding that despite the creation of additional counties, the problems of underdevelopment and poverty still persist. “If these counties were created for development purposes, are they now developed?” Freeman asked rhetorically.
“The businessman and politician also indicated people do not need a visa to come to Liberia. He said that would help boost the Country’s tourism sector and grow its GDP. “If we cannot tackle many simple things that would help improve the lives of our people, then it is a challenge,” the MPC’s political leader and presidential hopeful articulately said on the radio talk show during the weekend.
Almost all the callers, except for one, who called on the radio talk-show, agreed with the MPC’s political leader and said he has the best alternative to transform Liberia into a prosperous and not a wasteful and penurious nation.
Asked about his MPC’s possible collaboration with other opposition political parties ahead of the October elections, Mr. Freeman affirmatively said there is a need for collaboration.
The MPC was among several opposition political parties that met in Monrovia last week on key national issues, including the recent population census. The parties agreed in one accord that census results are not credible and should not be used as an instrument for the pending legislative and presidential elections.
The MPC’s political leader, it can be recalled, admitted that no one political party is capable of winning President Weah and his CDC, and so there was a need for the opposition to amalgamate to make the Liberian Leader a one-term President.
Regarding a recent statement by the National Elections Commission that it has not received the money it needs to conduct the pending elections, the MPC political leader said if Mr. Weah and his government fail to conduct the elections, the only alternative will be an interim government.
“The government says the economy has tremendously improved, but it cannot readily provide the money that NEC needs to conduct the pending elections,” Mr. Freeman said mockingly.
