Monrovia – As campaign opens for the upcoming Octobers’ 2017 Presidential and Representatives elections in Liberia, the opposition Liberia Restoration Party (LRP) has pledged its commitment to Liberians for a reliable leadership.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah – [email protected]
LRP through its political leadership told a news conference Monday that the party stands ready to sign a social commitment document with citizens on the eradication of poverty, open financial systems and providing better living condition for them.
This instrument, according to female political leader MacDella Copper and Vice Standard Bearer William R. Slocum, would be probated at the Supreme Court compelling the office of the President and vice President to be audited once a year.
“We have the practical recipe to fight corruption in this country.”
“The standard bearer and vice standard bearer will sign a social contract that will be probated at the Supreme Court for the office of the President and vice President to be audited at least once a year,” the LRP officials said.
Vice Standard Bearer Slocum in particular said audits would be done by foreign auditors and not the common Liberian assessment system which he condemned.
He noted that these commitments speak a lot to the party seriousness to transforming Liberia and providing a better leadership for its citizens.
The LRP vice Standard Bearer assumes that the best way to achieve this is by waving certain rights of the Liberian constitution and compelling all government officials to sign such a contract.
“If we be elected President and vice President, we are going to wave all our right so that when we are caught in corrupt attitudes, we should be arrested and go to jail and we are serious about that,” Slocum noted.
Slocum said Liberia resources are quite enough but are not affecting the lives of its people and a legal document between leaders and citizens would remind their leaders of a commitment to the people.
His statement follows Cooper who argued that Liberia’s downward status is unbearable for the livelihood of the current and future generation.
The lone female Presidential contender emphasized the need for Liberians to pursue quality education in their own country while healthcare delivery system must also be considered in country.
She said: We need to go to school here and when we get sick, we need to be treated right here.”
“We need to sign a commitment not to seek medical attention outside Liberia, we going to sign that commitment,” Cooper said.
According to the LRP Standard Bearer, the country still face challenges in healthcare, education and reform with rural Liberian being highly affected.
She said resources and medication amongst several issues are foremost priorities that need to be addressed for rural Liberians.
With “Hope and Reform,” being its backbone, Cooper registered that these challenges can be completely dealt with in enabling Liberians experience development needs.
She point to specific issues including unison and desisting tribalism that must be used as tool in this drive.
Madam Cooper further said despite government strides in making significant progress through socioeconomic transformation, there are lot more lingering for national development.
“Our approach to developmental problem solving will not be a one-size-fits-all.”
“A holistic economic transformation has to trickle down to the citizenry if they must feel the ripple effects of development,” Cooper intoned.
The LRP Political leader however maintained that government had placed more focus on building individual needs instead of national development.