Reflection Part 6: By Hun-Bu Tulay
Email: ntevoma@gmail.com, Cell #: +231-886-517-356/777-111-032
PHOTO : President-elect Joseph Nyumah Boakay
“We have the opportunity to change the course of history in our country. As I have always said, our country holds much promises, and it is up to us as a generation to seize it and transform our country for all to have a FAIR CHANCE of a BETTER LIVILIHOOD. I will repeat, as I have always maintained that Liberia is not a POOR COUNTRY, but the problem of the country is the LACK OF SOUND AND HONEST LEADERSHIP. The elections are behind us, it is time to do the HARD WORK.” – Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr.
The above quote is from remarks made by the president-elect, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr. during a recent program in Providence, Rhode Island, USA when he addressed Liberians in that state. We do agree with the president-elect that the Liberia is not a poor country, and the problem of the country has been leadership. He further said th at the country has lacked SOUND and HONEST LEADERSHIP. He further called on Liberians to WORK HARD. We however believe that the problem of the country goes beyond SOUND and HONEST LEADER. The problem is PATRIOTIC, RESPONSIBLE and COMMITTED LEADERSHIP that
is has the WILL POWER TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE THE ORGANIC LAWS AND STATUS of the land. Leaders, who will ensure that JUSTICE and the RULE of LAW are equally apply to all. Leaders who understand the meaning of what Aristotle said, “AT HIS BEST, MAN IS THE NOBLEST OF ALL ANIMALS; SEPARATED FROM LAW AND JUSTICE HE IS THE WORST.” Leaders will not separate the people from law and justice. Our past and present leaders have SEPARATED US FROM LAW AND JUSTICE. But this separation of LAW AND JUSTICE is more NOTICEABLE under the Weah’s Administration than any administration before him. Just reflect on all that have happened in the country and ask yourself whether they would have happened if the society was not separated from LAW and JUSTICE? We call on all Liberians particularly our leaders to WORK SMART, BE INNOVATE, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX in trying to find solutions to the country old age problems (transportation, agriculture, education, youth employment, drugs abuse, corruption, and health). The leaders and the people need to sacrifice now the LUXURY OF LIFE and use the country’s resources to solve the above-mentioned problems. You cannot spend US$100.00 on lunch or drive a US$60,000.00 vehicle and expect to BUILD A HOUSE OR SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOLS. YOU CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
From the President –elect Rhode Island’s remarks, he wants all hands-on DECK for the country’s transformation. We all need to help the President-elect as he said, “it is up to us as a generation to seize the moment and transform our country”. It seems to me that the president-elect does not expect us to sit on the fence as spectators; he wants us to get totally involved in the transformation. You may not be opportune to serve in his administration as a government official, but you do have some positive ideas that you could share with the president-elect that would help in the transformation he talked about. We want you to remember Newton’s Law of Impermeability. This law in simple English says “only one object or thing can occupy a given space at a given time.” Therefore, all the millions of competent Liberians cannot all be employed by the government. We must find a place where we can be productive and make useful contributions that would help in the transformation. Liberia needs you and your talents to transform her for the better. This is what we understand the president-elect is asking of all Liberians. Liberians should wake up from their lethargic and advance their thoughts for a BETTER LIBERIA.
Dr. E dward Beyan Kesselly, Sr,
Let us share with you one of many conversations/discussions we had with the founder of the Unity Party and the first standard bearer of the party, Dr. E dward Beyan Kesselly, Sr. On this occasion, we discussed the problems of the country, and their solutions. During our discussion, we asked him, “What do you think are the problems of the country, and what are the best solutions?” He said, among other things, that the Liberian people are the problem because they are greedy and noxious. He said that these problems have been with the country from infancy. When he said this to us, we were reminded of a phase from a book, “SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL” written by E. K. Schumacher. The author attributes two human vices such as GREED AND EVIL as the root causes of insincerity, dishonesty, social injustice, corruption, and economic imbalance in the world. According to the author, these two human vices if systematically cultivated, the inevitable result is nothing less than the collapse of human intelligence. And a society driven by these vices such a society loss the power of seeing things as they really are. In such a society the people become incapable of solving the most elementary problems of its existence. These human vices drive a society to conflicts. They make a society to live upon ideas that conflict with the laws and constitution governing the society and the universe. You will agree with us if we say that these vices were responsible for all conflicts in the country (the wars between the settlers and the Gola, Dei, and Kru), the 1979 rice riot, the 1980 coup d’état, and the civil crisis).
Dr. Kesselly said to us that Liberians need to understand that we all cannot be leaders at the same time. We can only have certain number leaders from our over 4 million population at the time. The leaders should not take all the country’s resources for themselves. The leaders need to distribute the resources for the benefit of all the people. He recommended that we needed to develop a ROADMAP for the reconstruction of the country, and look among us, and identify a person, who would be best suited to sell the ROADMAP to the donors and bi-lateral partners; someone, who would be a magnet that would attract and bond all the people of Liberia. We had this discussion when he was Minister of Defense during the Interim Government headed by Dr. Amos C. Sawyer. Three weeks after our discussion, he died. We needed to share this with the leaders of Liberia and the people, maybe they will start thinking differently from now on. As you know this was the period that National Patriotic Force of Liberia (NPFL) of Charles Taylor was controlling 75% of the country land area and resources and was not willing to discuss the future of the country. He idea was the country cannot continue be governed by selected few.
The late President William R. Tolbert, Jr.
We would like to start helping the president–elect by suggesting the following, and you should equally suggest to him what you believe needs to be done to transform the country. He does not have the solutions to all the problems of the country. Our individual suggestions and pieces of advice might help make him do a far better job for all Liberians. Ours suggestions:
- National Vision: Let us consider the ROADMAP Dr. Kesselley talked about as the National Vision that was developed in 2010. We do not need to develop a new National Vision. Vision 2030 (Making Liberia a Middle-Income Country by 2030) developed in 2010 is a very comprehensive document. We need to take the document and run with it. The vision is based on “ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, and UNITED FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT.” The vision is an ambitious one because it cost US$5 Billion Dollars. With the country’s abundant natural resources this is not impossible. A wise person once said, “The journey of a million miles starts with the first step.” The vision contains everything in the UP-Document ARREST and more. We need to look inside our budget and begin to allocate resources to finance the UP-ARREST components of the vision. In one of our features “REFLECTION PART FOUR” we suggested that the president-elect develop a FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN and budget maximum 20% of the National Budget or minimum US$100 Million annually for implementation of the plan. This would be the government’s contribution toward the realization of the vision/ARREST COMPONENTS in the vision. The period 2018 to 2024 January is considered wasted years. We can extend the vision realization to 2040. The Liberian Legislature can help the president-elect in making this possible. The Legislature has the statutory responsibility to allocate the resources of the country. Unfortunately, they often allocate huge amounts to themselves. This must stop, if we must transform the country for all people to have a fair chance of a better livelihood as mentioned by the president-elect. The country is not poor, in fact, in one of our features, we said that the country is the sixth richest in Africa; all we need is to manage the resources better. We cannot continue to beg in this 21st century and yet our leaders waiving a huge amount of US$14 Million owed by a multi-million dollars company operating in the country. Do you think these leaders were given INCENTIVE for waiving US$14.00 Million of the people money? Anything is possible in the country. The incoming government needs to investigate this. We cannot continue to rely on countries that we are richer than to support our developmental drive. We can finance 75% of the cost of the Five-Year Development Plan by using our own resources. These are some of the things that should be included in the FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN (paved roads connecting all county’s capitols and major cities, four (4) modern and functioning referral hospitals (Central Liberia (Gbarnga, Southeast (Harper), Northwestern (Voinjama), Southwestern (Buchanan), and five modern health centers in each major city of a county, modern and functioning elementary, junior and senior high schools with qualified teachers, laboratory, reading room, internet, five modern correction centers (where inmates will have the opportunity to learn trade and would be useful upon their release), five rehabilitation centers across the country to help drug addicted youth, safe drinking water and sanitation in each county capital and cities with population of 5,000 and above, energy, internet connectivity in every chiefdom, modern water transport system, security reform, rule of law, and a strengthened judiciary, invest in tourism, entertainment industry (music and movie), and the Drug Enforcement Agency. We can start by applying some of the good policies of past governments of the country and policies that working in other countries in the region.
- Tolbert’s Policy on Vehicle. The Tolbert’s Administration purchased vehicles for only five government officials (President, Vice President, Speaker, President Pro-Temp, and the Chief Justice). All other officials purchased their own vehicles. We know this because our brother-in law was Deputy Minister, and our father was a judge and later Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. And there was a policy for the use all utility vehicles, these vehicles were parked by 1900 hours.
- We can introduce a policy in which the government purchased twenty-five Toyota Land Cruiser /Nissan Patrol SUV vehicles for the transportation of government officials to areas of difficulty terrains. These vehicles will be controlled by General Services Agency. Ministries/agencies might request for their used as maybe needed.
- We need to review the Depreciation Policy on vehicles. Currently it is three years. We need to depreciate government vehicles over a six-year period.
- Introduce a National Youth Program-This program will require national service for all graduates to serve for one year. This will be a requirement for permanent employment in any sector in the country. Each employer will require the applicant to attach his or her national service certificate to the letter of application. This is working very well in Ghana, Nigeria and other countries in the West African Region.
- Review the salary’s scales of all government employees starting with those at Legislature. A review of allocation to the legislature shows the following- just for fiscal years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 we find the following allocations: Budget Year 2020/2021—-US$44.6 million and 2021/2022 US$64 Million. This is an increase of 43.49% or US$19.4 Million. The question is, what economic factors generated this increase? If there were any, were all other government employees’ salaries also increased? We cannot have the legislators increasing their salaries and benefits at will because they have the exclusive right to allocate and distribute the resources of the government. This is DAY-LIGHT ROBBERY from the people. On December 7, 2022, Liberia Accountability Organization reported that the Liberian Lawmakers’ Salaries are among the HIGHEST IN THE WORLD (see www.newrepublicliberia.com, December7, 2022). It is interesting to note that the government’s payroll (salaries, bonuses, and benefits) monthly take home is US$30,000.00; this amount includes the salaries and benefits of their staff. Let assume each has a total of staff 20 persons, both domestic and office, and each gets an average of US$750.00 per month, the legislator take home becomes US$15,000.00. This is INSANE. When the Deputy Speaker (J. Fonati Koffa and Senator Darius Dillon were interviewed in 2019, the Deputy Speaker said, he welcomes the reduction of Legislators salaries to US$2,500.00 per month) and Senator Dillon said US$3,000.00 is more than enough. Senator Jewel Howard Taylor, when she was asked by a pressman on the quantity of fuel the legislator receive, she said “Legislator gets 500 gallons of fuel per month.” Where do they go for each to deserve this quantity of fuel monthly? Reference the reduction in the salary, two of them have openly said that they support reduction of almost 55%. Hold them to their statements. Representative Koon has said, if elected as speaker, he will reduce the speaker’s budget by 20%. These commends/statements from the lawmakers clearly shows that they are aware that they are ROBBING the Liberian people.
Liberians should demand that employee compensation in the national budget be reduced by 20% and that the salaries of nurses, teachers, and low-level staff of government be reviewed. And that government should the first to implement the MINIMUM WAGE BILL of USD150 per month because if she does not, she will be unable to enforce the MINIMUM WAGE BILL as enacted.
- Corruption-President Edwin James Barclay’s approach to fighting corruption is one of the best approaches, but the leader must have the WILL POWER. The President, after the investigation of the Fernando Po Island Crisis, confiscated all properties acquired by government officials that were involved in the Fernando Po corruption covenant, including the president and vice president. Not taking any action against corrupt acts committed by past government officials, who got their wealth through corrupt activities, might encourage the new incoming government officials to be involved in corruption as well.
President Sirleaf encouraged corruption in the legislature, when she gave each a pickup donated to the government by Arcelor Mittal when in fact the Mineral Agreement for the Company was before the Legislature for RATIFICATION. This is BRIBERY. Since that first BRIBERY, it is alleged that she continued to bribe the legislators throughout the twelve years of her administration. And this became a normal practice. This was continued by President Weah. You need to break away from this evil circle of encouraging CORRUPTION. NO BROWN ENVELOPES to any branch of government to perform any task. These are their responsibilities; this is what they signed up for. The fight against CORRUPTION MUST start on DAY ONE of your administration (January 22, 2024).
- Calibers of persons to be appointed: This was discussed in one of our features-Reflection Part Four (4)—and I wish to repeat same. Every President often selects a cabinet to assist and advise him or her. A variety of factors determine why someone is selected for a cabinet post, including ability, political compatibility, and geographical consideration. You must be confident and select a winning team. Look beyond each man’s foible and ego and see the talent, competence, and intelligence each one brings to your administration. Cabinet Ministers should be free to disagree with each other and with you on the approach for the betterment of the country. This will encourage critical thinking after discussions. Do not select Cabinet Ministers who will worship you. This has been the case with our past and present presidents and that is why they failed.
- Once we were invited to a political meeting. We arrived early and had some free time to chat with others who had come in time. The friend asked a rhetorical question, “Why do Cabinet Ministers lie to the President”? Members of the group proffered five different answers, but all five carried the same meaning which was, “They do so because they want to keep their jobs.” Such individuals do not belong in your cabinet. You promised to recruit the country’s best brains and to have all political subdivisions represented in the cabinet as well (fifteen counties), and the opposition represented in your government at full cabinet level. If you do this, it will illustrate your political genius, maturity, and experience. This would signal the first step toward genuine reconciliation and lasting peace in the country. Select the most qualified and talented Liberians, the strongest men and women who are honest, committed, and dedicated to the development of the country because their services are needed for the economic and infrastructural development of the country. You cannot and should not deprive these sons and daughters of serving their country because they belong to other political groupings.
- Calibers of advisers- Like the cabinet ministers and heads of autonomous agencies, be the best minds of the country or if possible, the best minds in Africa. Kwame Nkrumah had the likes of Dr. William E. B. DuBois and George Padmore, two Pan African Advocates he met in 1945 at the Pan African Conference in Manchester, England. These were the backbone of President Kwame Nkrumah policies and plans. He would not have influenced the world without them. Both became Ghanaian Citizens. Find Liberian Best Brains and make them your inner cabinet and foot soldiers. Men and women who are not corrupt and want to serve and help you transform the country.
- Last but not the least: Your cabinet ministers and heads of autonomous agencies MUST sign a PERFORMANCE CONTRACT with terms of reference. President Sirleaf’s 120 Day Deliverables could be called a performance contract, however, she failed to take actions against those ministers and heads of autonomous agencies who failed to deliver. Because of the urgency to develop and transform the country, you should be like Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln wanted to win the civil war against the Confederates, so he changed his Commanding General three times before he appointed General Ulysses S. Grant under whose command the war was won. There are many Ulysses S. Grant in Liberia, find them and make them your inner cabinet and you will be the Abraham Lincoln of Liberia, hence the country’s greatest President.
We leave you with the words of wisdom of the late Dr. Edward Wilmot Blyden, “There is a talent entrusted to you. It is your duty to call into action the highest forms of your being. It does not matter what your calling may be, whether it be what men call menial or what the world calls honorable – whether it be to speak in the halls of the Legislature or to sweep out those halls, whether it be to wait upon others or to be waited on, it is the manner of using your faculties that will determine the result – that will determine your true influence in this country/world and your status in the country/world to come. Everyone should do his part to advance humanity and transform the country. Each should exert himself to be a keeper in progress and peace. Whatever your condition, you do occupy some room/space in this country/world; what are you doing to make a return for that room/space you occupy? There are so many of you people, who fail to realize your responsibilities, who fail to hear the inspiring call of the past and the prophetic call of the future.”
We Liberians for over 178 years, have failed to hear the inspiring call of the past and the prophetic call of the future. It is time for us to do so and work to transform this LITTLE NATION CALLED LIBERIA.
GOD BLESS YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.