By Saykpekpo Innis in Buchanan, Liberia
The head of one of the biggest women NGOs in Liberia’s southeastern Grand Bassa County, Martha Karnga is admonishing citizens to avoid hasty criticisms against the incoming government of George Weah and his Coalition for Democratic Change.
Madam Karnga, Executive Director of the Bassa Women Development Association (BAWODA) said instead of citizens the new government, they should work together in moving the country forward.
President-elect Weah is due to be inaugurated on January 22, 2018, when outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is expected to hand power, marking the first time in 73 years that one elected President in Liberia is transferring power to another elected President.
The former football icon-turned politician was formally declared winner of the December 26, 2017 presidential runoff elections on December 29 by the National Elections Commission (NEC) after overwhelmingly defeating current Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP).
Weah got 732,185 votes, finalizing 61.5%, while Liberia’s present Vice President Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party (UP) got 457,579 votes, amounting to 38.5%.
Madam Karnga stressed the need for citizens to work with the new government to move the country forward.
Madam Karnga made the assertion when she praised the citizens of Grand Bassa County for the turn out during the December 26, 2017 presidential run – off election between the Coalition for Democratic Change and Unity Party.
She told the local Magic FM radio in Buchanan that the turnout of the citizens demonstrate that they are fully prepared for change.
According to NEC results in Grand Bassa County, out of total of 59,013 votes,
Weah of the main opposition CDC got 42,600 votes, which constitute 74.7%, while current Vice President Boakai of the UP obtained 14,437 votes amounting to 25.3%.
According to the NEC report, the total number of invalid votes in Grand Bassa County was 1,978.