Monrovia – Montserrado County District 9 Representative Munah Pelham has termed her critics as lazy and not providing solution to their criticisms.
Report by Bettie K Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
She said it is unfortunate that those who want to unseat her have no better plans for the district but rather lazily criticize her following the 6- year representation at the National Legislature.
Pelham is a candidate of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and among the 766 candidates that are contesting as lawmakers.
She spoke at the launch of her campaign in District 9 where stalwarts and partisans of the CDC were in attendance.
Recalling her progress, Pelham said she brought in systematic leadership after 2 males lawmaker who she said failed to deliver to the district.
“I had no choice but to do what you asked of me, in the last 6 years I didn’t do anything on my own, I brought a system of governance in this district,” she said.
Pelham said its time that lawmakers asked the constituents what they need instead of what lawmakers deciding for the people.
“Thank you for honoring me for allowing me to be a member of the 54th legislator and serving as Liberia’s youngest politician.”
She continued: “I am grateful for your support so far, I’m here again to ask you to please give me the second chance; I want a second chance to complete what I have started.”
“District number 9 consist of 21 communities and you my critics don’t know contemporary politics, which I have carried out through my years of service with the people,” Pelham said.
She boasted that in the absence of budget shortfalls she implemented several developments in the district specifically 16 communities of the 21 communities in the district.
“Any of my critics who said I didn’t introduce a bill is a lazy intellectual and not searching, July 16, 2016 a bill asking for the establishment of the water and sanitation act which was passed 2014, it is not how many bills but it is the quality of the bill and magnitude that it will trigger down to the people,”
She disclosed that currently a proposed bill of establishing an independent oversight authority where security officials who are not professional sometimes assault and walk away free will face the authority rather than the same government they work for.
She clarified that the controversial block 13 were opposed by her because it wasn’t in the interest of the citizens of Liberia.
“I saw something that wasn’t representing my people because it says the deeper you go the more the crude oil become, and the citizens of the country should benefit, which wasn’t placed in the document, I’m proud that I didn’t support such document.”
She said she rests upon the shoulder of her critics to do substantial things, urging them to stop destructive criticism and do constructive criticism.
“When you criticize give an analysis and solution, there are lot of critics that are in this district. And I used their time and energy to correct my track so I don’t get vex with them.”
Clarifying the decision by the National Housing Authority to allow tenants in Matadi to purchase their home, she said she engaged the Government of Liberia to drop the amount from 12 percent to 8 percent.
Pelham alleged that the people of Matadi became victims of the circumstance, when Barnesville and Stephen Tolbert was given to the owners for free, adding that the Matadi estate owners couldn’t get the estate houses for free because the election results didn’t prove that they voted for the unity party.
“This district comprises of intellectuals don’t allow a booboo to walk in your district to represent you, we need a researcher to be your leader because there will be a time that you will have to research and counter react.
“The demolition of 24 street homes where 16 persons were affected, I told Madam President that they weren’t squatters, I listened to my critics and they say where you have seen an opposition lawmaker working with the ruling party.”
“There are many illegal demotion in other districts, they didn’t receive a dime but we advocated and US$257,000 was given to those that were affected IN District 9, said Pelham.
She noted that it is the kind of leaders you ask to represent you that will give you the kind of results.
Pelham spoke about Liberia being the only country in Africa that did not give its citizens state ID cards.
On the New Matadi Market, she noted that the market was built poorly because the land doesn’t belong to the marketers but a mother of her contender.
“For the past three years I have been paying money to his mother for the market, Kpoto, why didn’t you tell your mother to stop taking money from me, his mother said she never wanted a concrete on her land but I should pay the rent so I’m doing it for my women to be able to sell and send their children to school.”
She said “In 2011 we were 21 candidates and now is 13, in life there are some political facaos so I think they are asking me to beat them again as per in time past.”
Pelham said its time for generational changing commending young contenders who are aspiring to be lawmakers and cabinet members.
“I’m optimistic that the future will move forward, if you give me the second chance, I’m number 8 on the ballot paper so please vote for me let’s make the change,” Pelham noted.
She encouraged her constituents to look for the emblem of the party and vote something she said will change the destiny of the country and youth.
Pelham also sold the CDC standard bearer George Weah stating that under his leadership Liberia will not experience the worst as insinuated by the opposition.
“I introduce a son who doesn’t believe that by his last-named he deserves to be President because he’s a pioneer son.
“He understand what it is to sleep on the bare floor, he has asked me to tell you that if he be your President no child in 9th and 12th grade will pay WAEC fees.”
“People are moving around in your community that if you vote for him, Liberia will go back, but I say the worst has happened to Liberia, nothing can happen again. Liberia is in a state where a woman can walk to the hospital and she being told that no hospital bed, Liberia has hit the worst, there is nothing worse that will happen if you vote him.”
“Few years ago 16% of our teenage girls will get pregnant, today is 23% percent. The worst have happen, Liberians don’t let anyone fool you.”
“Our young people have access to drugs everywhere in our communities, the worst have happen when 13 million dollars will walk from the coffers of the government, there is nothing worse that can happen to this nation, the worst have happened in this country when justice will walk through the front door to the back door when my constituent’s daughter was raped and later died, and within no time the suspect walked away.”
Pelham said: “My candidate I bring to you says just give him one chance, you gave the unity party the first six years of your life that you will never get back, you gave them the second chance 12 years you never get it back. A man can be fooled for the first and second, but not the third time, I bring to you a beacon of hope.