CSOs on Weah’s Annual Message
By Lewis S Teh
Five leading Civil Society Organizations here have described President George Weah’s recent State of the Nation address as a complete misrepresentation of the facts.
The National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Naymote partners for development, Integrity Watch Liberia, Institute for Research and Democratic Development and Accountability Lab Liberia in a news conference Monday, January 31, 2022, said President Weah’s address was marred by high level of inconveniences and misrepresentation of facts, something they describe as an embarrassment to the state.
In a statement read on behalf of the group, the head of the CSO council of Liberia, Madam Loretta Popekai said they were saddened, and deeply concerned with the high level of inconsistency and misrepresentation of facts in the President’s speech, adding “Our concerns are infrastructure, we are highly concerned about the President’s report on infrastructure accomplishments as stated in the address.”
She says the council did follow up to ascertain the facts, but they are dismayed that most of the reported projects and their addresses were not factual, pointing out that in Bong County President Weah reported 100 housing units being completed, but verification shows that only 10 housing units were identified.
According to her, President Weah also reported that 100 housing units are under completion in Nimba County, but their verification shows that less than 15 units were identified, while in Gbapolu count, the President reported the completion of a 100- bedroom hospital, but their verification shows the project is still ongoing, reaching about 90 percent.
Madam Popekai continues that market buildings in Salala and Gbarnga were similarly reported to be ongoing, but interestedly none of those projects has started.
“This we think is a disservice to the people, we are aware that the state of the nation address is a constitutional responsibility mandated by Article 58 of the Constitution, and for official of government to mislead the President to report malicious information to the nation is a crime that must not go unpunished, and we condemn this act in the strongest term,” she says.
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She said CSOs are disappointed over national security threat posed by the growing numbers of vulnerable youths, often referred to as zogoes in the country
Madam Popekai says President Weah failed to lay out a clear strategy to address the menace, reiterating the population of zogoes poses an increasing threat to the peace and security of Liberia.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/pres-weah-reports-growth-at-3-6-percent/ Editing by Jonathan Browne
