By Augustine Octavius
The Minister of Finance and Development Planning has outlined the government’s priorities in the pro poor agenda in the sum of eight billion United States Dollars in the first six years.
Finance and Development and Planning Minister Samuel Tweah disclosed that in the first step by the President George Manneh Weah is considering a petition to the National Legislature purposely to slash the salaries of senior officials of government by 25 percent.
Tweh made the disclosure during a meeting with development partners and donor countries held at the headquarters of the United Nations Mission in Liberia in Monrovia.
On infrastructural development, the Finance and Development Planning Minister noted that government needs four billion United States Dollars for road network connectivity.
As for education, Minister Tweh explained that the government will review its education programs, remove ghost names and employing about 1,500 teachers at the cost four million United States Dollars.
On health, the Finance and Development Planning Minister went on, the government has interest in turning the prevailing situation where health worker and doctors watch people dying simply because of logistics.
In terms of agriculture, Minister Tweah added that the President want the production of rice locally in order to reduce the 200 million United States Dollars spent annually by 50 percent.
He added that government has mandated all ministries and agencies to synchronize the procurement in order to establish a fix price for all items to be purchased.
The minister asked the development partners and donor countries work with the framework of the pro poor agenda.
During the meeting, several representatives of development partners and donor countries promised to work with the government with the aimed at achieving its pro poor agenda.
The meeting was graced by representatives of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Development Program, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.