Dear Mr. President:
We extend our compliments and congratulate you on the achievements made in Liberia during the first three years of your administration. Despite the many challenges, we are confident that when the implementations of the “Po-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) is fully achieved, the benefits to the Liberian people could be far reaching. .
Mr. President, our mission in Liberia is to assist all governments to succeed in improving the livelihood of all citizens and to empower all Liberians throughout many decades ahead. THE LIBERIAN ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE THROUGH SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, aims to identify the cause and offer possible solutions to issues that seem to tear the social fabric of our communities and municipalities.
We have observed that the cause of a good number of issues facing our nation, stem from a total disregard for a single clause of Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, thereby, fueling the prevailing political turmoil in the country. Article 1 states that, “… in order to ensure a democratic government which responds to the wishes of the Governed …” A clause that was intentionally crafted by writers of the constitution to ensure:
- a framework that should create a dialogue between the government and the people.
- that citizens formally make wishes that should provide guidance to the government regarding issues which must be prioritized for the immediate safety and happiness of the people.
- power to the people to check, test, and monitor the performance of their public servants to guarantee good governance, accountability, unity, peace and stability of the country etc..
- that the government enjoys smooth governance through citizens cooperation.
In principle, the clause in Article 1 above implies that the citizens have a civic duty under the constitution, to instruct their public servants to prioritize and resolve the issues that are of utmost importance to their safety, well-being, and happiness. Similarly, under the constitution, it is the responsibility of the democratic government to respond to the wishes of the Governed when these wishes have been made in a democratic and in an organized way. The current governing system as it is, is not fostering citizens’ participation in political decisions. Consequently, the lack of popular participation in the governing process of the country, has fostered a disconnect between the government and the people and their problems. As a result, our nation and its citizens have gravely endured the effects of corruption, bad governance, violence, protest, and a whole host of dire issues accompanied by catastrophic consequences since the independence of the country in 1847. In a nutshell, the general public is unhappy and feels unsafe.
Mr. President, in an attempt to buttress government’s efforts to promote the welfare of the Liberian people, ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE, has adopted a two step approach and is committed to providing possible solution(s) to the above named problems.
1, ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE, will recommend legislation at three levels that will foster the successful implementation of the wishes of the Governed appropriately and in time as stipulated by Article 5 subsection (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, which states that “…the legislature shall enact laws promoting national unification and the encouragement of all citizens to participate in government.” The below listed laws, Mr. President, are no exception:
- Two months before general elections or before the citizens vote, the wishes of the Governed shall be submitted to an independent commission for annotation.
- On inauguration day and during the inauguration ceremony, the wishes of the Governed shall be submitted to the government.
- The government shall prioritize the wishes of the Governed and successfully carry them out during or before the six- year long administration ends.
2.ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE has put in place a strategic platform that will help citizens to communicate with their public servants about issues that affect their respective communities, albeit in a democratic and an organized way. ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE, Is now creating public awareness on how to use our platform, http://www.wakeupliberia.com, a prototype platform created by us. While advocating, ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE, has traveled to and has united fourteen districts in five counties in a period of two weeks in the Republic of Liberia. Our program has been welcomed with greatest enthusiasm by the general public in those counties and is intended to extend to all of the districts in the fifteen counties for a nationwide consultation and to educate all citizens on how to vote on issues that are crucial to their safety, well-being and happiness. God’s willing, we shall be in Montserrado county on March 1st, 2021. We should be glad if you could afford us the honor to share the details of our platform with your administration. It is quite unlikely for the government to resolve all of the issues facing the country in six years, ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE, will recommend that only five of the selected issues, (two for the national government and three for local governments) be considered in order of magnitude as a national manifesto obeying the wishes of the Governed.
Mr. President, the reason why ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE, is employing the above strategies is, on the one hand because Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia is at the heart and soul of the democratic system of governance in Liberia, and on the other hand because Liberia, as a member state of the United Nations Organization, is compelled to implement the United Nations Development Goals by 2030.
Our organization will, in accordance with the constitution of the Republic of Liberia and the UN Development Goals four, five and sixteen, educate the citizens on how to make wishes known to their government appropriately with an aim to create a dialogue between the people and the government. In addition, our program will promote citizens’ participation in governance as well as nation building, national unification, and a sound public administration
1. Mr. President, the implementation of our approach will eventually achieve the goals of the “PAPD,” and the Global Goals adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015. Our aim is to adequately address the issues of mitigating social inequality ; of eradicating bad practices, corruption, human rights abuses, social injustice, sexual abuse, the exploitation of women and children, domestic violence of all forms, as well as public health issues, poverty, unemployment, economic imbalances child labor, and the generalized suffering of the population throughout Liberia. We also aim to promote human rights & economic and social development in each community. These rights, in accordance with the fifth sustainable development goal of the United Nations, namely, of achieving gender equality, will promote the inclusion of women and girls and their empowerment through better education. It will foster the respect of all children’s rights in accordance with the goals of the UNICEF. Furthermore, our platform will advance social and economic development in accordance with goals number one, eight, ten and sixteen, among others including the goals of the four pillars of the ‘PAPD.”
Finally, in order to provide a remedy to the prevailing political turmoil that the country is going to and the host of issues that are caused by such a crisis, it is imperative to create a conducive atmosphere that will transition our democratic system of governance back to its foundation.
Respectfully yours,
Emmanuel B. Tarnue.
Founder & CEO
OUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE