Monrovia – Nathaniel Blama, Political leader of the Liberia National Union (LINU) says one does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that the outgoing Finance and Development Planning Minister, Amara Konneh underperformed in the office he operated especially after he admitted budget shortfalls.
Blama said: “If you projected something to the people for the first, second, third and fourth times and come back to the people and say I did not make it, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that he underperformed in the office where he operated”.
The LINU political leader added: “I think he just did not do well in setting priorities and the way they expended money and the sector in which their concentration was built. For the last four years we did not see government investing in sector that will generate revenue.”
Blama also said, the declaration of state of emergency had a greater negative effect on the country’s economy. According to the LINU political leader, the decision to declare a state of emergency by government rather than health emergency scared away potential investors who are still afraid to come to Liberia to do business.
He wants government officials to cut by 25% on allowances and government spending by 50% and invest in the economy to improve the livelihood of its people.
On whether Konneh deserves his new portfolio he said, the level at which the outgoing minister served in the Liberian government prepares him for a UN job despite his underperformance in improving the economy of Liberia as finance minister.
“What he did to get the award as Africa finance minister of the year in 2014 by a British magazine, he can do the same to get the job he has right now,” Blama said.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recently described the outgoing Minister of Finance and Development Planning as a ‘trustworthy person’.
“From me to him, let me say that I can walk in the dark with Minister Konneh at my back; I will not miss a step or turn on him, because I know that’s the trust, and confidence I have in him,” she told an audience of jubilant friends, family members and sympathizers.
She said Minister Konneh has been able to demonstrate a great deal of allegiance, honesty and commitment not only on the job but to the UP-led administration. President Sirleaf described Minister Konneh: “As someone who has earned my trust and confidence and someone who you have worked with and because of him, we made it”.
VP does not deserve to succeed Sirleaf
He believes that Vice President Joseph Boakai does not deserve the opportunity to succeed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf because according to him, he is part of a government that instituted failed policies that did not benefit the Liberian people but was quick to admit that the VP decision to contest the presidency is his constitutional right.
“If the Liberian people want to give him that mandate is up to them but we will go out and campaign against him but we don’t think our lives should be put on hold for one group of people for another six or 12 years after the first 12,” he added.
Review leadership of security apparatus
“There is a need to review the leadership of those security apparatus, overhaul them it is scaring to hear that a senior Police officer is linked to armed robbery, or link to drugs trafficking, or someone in the president convoy link to drugs trafficking. Those things for me are scaring.
“The reason why people are calling for UNIMIL to stay is because they do not have confidence in the security forces but if we are to provide the right kind of leadership in the security and reinstall in the people the confidence that the security is for the people they will embrace the security, the LINU man said.
He claimed that the underperformance from the leadership of the security force is because of indiscipline and greed from the top and the under support for security is leading to the greed.
