By William Selmah wselmah@gmail.com
A Liberian currently living in the United States has written an open letter to President George Manneh Weah, urging him to keep focus on the country’s national problems, with emphasis on improving the living conditions of ordinary Liberians.
Economic hardship in the country is spiraling out of control, with the value of the Liberian dollar to the US dollar currently standing at 131/132-one and the prices of basic commodities skyrocketing.
President Weah, who took office one month ago, has said the Liberian economy is broken and the government is broke, with the national coffers virtually empty.
But former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has repeatedly disputed this claim, saying that she left over US$154 million in the national coffers when she handed over power on January 22, 2018.
The Executive Director of Democracy Frontline International (DFI) based in North Dakota, Amish Amara outlined some of the problems as abject poverty, high cost of living, high unemployment and deplorable road network.
He wants President Weah to initiate programs aimed at addressing the challenges sooner than later.
“Please also be aware that Liberia’s deep seated troubles including high unemployment, did not vanish with the departure of the Unity Party led government; neither did it spell the end of challenges that previous administrations faced” the DFI boss opined in his letter.
Amara said the overwhelming mandate given President Weah at the 2017 polls is not the end of the sufferings of the masses, but simply a means to that end.
He further told the president that failure on the part of his administration to deliver on grass root expectations, would be a disappointment to the nation, and in particular those who believe in his ability to redeem and transform their country.
The Liberian in the US acknowledged that while it is true that the president and his team cannot accomplish the task alone, “nothing is clearer to the common man in the street than the promises made to alleviate if not end poverty in their midst”.
He also added that as a nation, this is one of the human sufferings the people have endeavored for generations to solve, but to no avail.
“I personally believe that one of the keys to defeating this menace is improving the standard of education and job creation,” Amara added.
One of the areas that the social worker wants President Weah to commit his government to is road construction and rehabilitation; mainly farm-to-market roads, which he noted would boost agricultural production and by extension, economic growth.
Amara then used the occasion to the World Bank and the government and people of France for the financial donation and pledge to Liberia.