Monrovia – A presidential hopeful and political leader of the Vision for Liberia Transformation, Dr. Jeremiah Whapoe has emphasized that unity can be a priority for fostering national growth and development in the country.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah – [email protected]
According to Dr. Whapoe, instead of prioritizing unity, individualism and divisiveness are major vices perpetrated by the Unity Party led government.
This, he said, continues to keep Liberians divided while government has, at the same time, failed to organize a conference that would unite Liberians.
“This government has seen divisiveness and they want to upload that divisiveness. I believe the Liberia I’m looking forward to, is beyond what this government has seen,” the presidential aspirant said.
“That will be a Liberia that will not be based on tribal line and religious segregation. This government is very vindictive and only a government that will be given back to the people can create a better Liberia where everyone will have independence.”
Whapoe told FrontPageAfrica over the weekend that Liberia’s insufficient food security is another factor that is impeding the country’s progress, but he stated that all of the country’s problems can be solved through agriculture.
He attributed the insufficient food security in Liberia to the death of former President William R. Tolbert, indicating that the death of the former president was a result of food crisis that has left serious curse on the country.
He said only a reconciliation symposium can get rid of such nuisance.
“Even in that curse today, I am a principle victim.”
“My uncle Jackson F. Doe, former Standard bearer for the Liberia Action Party was killed all because of food and you have leaders who had come and not producing food for the country, I see that as a problem,” said Dr. Whapoe.
Whapoe maintained that the ongoing difficulties in Liberia have led children to take parental role to win bread for their family.
He further stated that this situation has led to increase in prostitution.
“The children, most especially our young girls are not getting in the streets at their will but due to difficulties in Liberia.”
“I believe there are children in this country today who compromise their integrities to men who they do not love because of difficulties.”
The Vision for Liberia Transformation political leader said the country should not brag about independence when the country cannot afford feeding itself.
According to him, Liberians can brag of independence only when citizens take the lead in producing major commodities that will make the country self-sufficient.
He, however, frowned at past and present governments for failing to make the country self-sufficient through agriculture.
Dr. Whapoe presented over 50 cutlasses and over three bundles of zinc to an agriculture base group, Concern Movement for Women and Children in Liberia.
The group is involved with agriculture activities aimed at improving food security across Liberia, an idea Whapoe believes is part of initiatives that he is concerned with.
According to him, these activities can put agriculture at the peak of the economy.
In the wake of empowering Liberians through agriculture, Whapoe said the Vision for Liberia Transformation has already begun engaging farmers across the country in empowering them to improve their agriculture productions.
“At VOLT, we do not believe in empty promises, telling people what we will do for them and do not commit themselves to that promise.
It is time for us to make our commitments we did not come to promise giving loans to Liberians and take their properties from them when they cannot afford to pay back. We did not come to say we believe in same sex marriage,” Whapoe said.
According to him, Liberians are not interested in listening to repeated promises in midst of false concessions being signed by the government amid abject poverty.
Dr. Whapoe said there is no nation that can boast of independence and cannot feed itself in the midst capital flight.
“Today we have a capital flight in Liberia of US$480 million, just for the importation of rice and that alone is an issue that goes into the pocket of the Liberia people,” he said.
According to him, if such amount is circulated in Liberia, citizens will be able to make sound decisions that would better improve them.
Meanwhile, he indicated that Liberia borderlines are not properly secure due to food security and that the only way to alleviate such problem is through agriculture productivity.