Monrovia – Liberia’s four major and largest opposition political parties, under the banner Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), have debunked what President George Manneh Weah said Monday, January 27, in his Annual Address to the nation that Liberia’s state of nation is stable.
Responding officially Tuesday, January 28, Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings, Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), who read the press statement, on behalf of him and his colleagues of All Liberian Party (ALP) of Mr. Benoni W. Urey; Liberty Party (LP) of Mrs. Senator Nyonblee Kargar-Lawrence; and Unity Party (UP) of former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, said contrary to what the president said “the state of our nation is WEAK.”
“Our economy is in terrible shape. Prices on goods and services, from rice to transportation are increasing daily. Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment continues to increase. Teachers, nurses, doctors and civil servants are not being paid on time. Liberians have to stand in long queues at banks to withdraw Liberian Dollars like we are a bankrupt country and now we are in longer queues to get petroleum products due to shortage on our market. The crime rate, to include incidence of rape, armed robbery, etc has increased,” Mr. Cummings said.
According to the CPP, today Liberia is further divided along several lines; and sadly for them, Pres. Weah did not offer any immediate or long-term actions aimed at helping to unite Liberians. “Reconciliation was not mentioned even though he recognized the need for peace in Liberia, forgetting that peace is not the silence of guns; and there cannot be true peace without reconciliation. Our people are suffering and the economic hardship continues unabated.”
“Our economy is in terrible shape. Prices on goods and services, from rice to transportation are increasing daily. Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment continues to increase. Teachers, nurses, doctors and civil servants are not being paid on time. Liberians have to stand in long queues at banks to withdraw Liberian Dollars like we are a bankrupt country and now we are in longer queues to get petroleum products due to shortage on our market. The crime rate, to include incidence of rape, armed robbery, etc has increased.”
– Alexander B. Cummings, Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress
While Mr. Cummings and his colleagues commended the President for the promise to invest in youth empowerment programs, they noted; however, that “this as one of his many promises. We hope that this promise can be fulfilled in order to impact the lives of our young people and provide trainings and job opportunities for them.”
The CPP’s press statement touched on the state of nation’s economy, including the Government’s ‘harmonization policy’, fiscal and monetary policy and employment. It also touched on ‘political governance’ and the state of the nation’s health.
Mr. Cummings concluded the CPP’s statement by proffering some recommendations, which are going to be included in a detailed report shortly.
