The chairman of the governing council of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change advises the Weah administration to reduce huge expenditures in some areas of the government that are not profitable.
Chief Cyril Allen, who also chairs the board of directors of the National Social Security Corporation (NASSCOPR)
asks the government to cut spending on recharge cards for public officials, reduce unnecessary travels that are not bringing needed results, including gasoline for ministers, members of the Judiciary and the Legislature.
Allen is noted for his boldness on policy issues, dating back to the Taylor regime. He challenged Mr. Taylor on lot of issues, including the then ruling National Patriotic Party, which he told the BBC shouldn’t be placed in the hands of “vultures.”
“The economy globally is tight, almost many of the regional countries around us are facing similar economic challenges but, what I can recommend to our government is cut down some spending, interestingly, there are some expenditures of government that do not worth spending a cent on. For example, cut down travels, gasoline for the three branches of government, recharge cards and other areas that I think are not bringing anything in return to the country and its people,” he recommends via mobile phone to this paper Sunday, 21 July.
According to him, the Weah administration should consider bringing in financial veterans, Liberians, who have worked internationally to manage the financial sector of the country.
Chief Allen however notes that his call for old hands in the financial sector does not suggest those in charge now are not performing, but that the economy of the state is static and in the financial community, there are factors responsible which the young heads may not have envisioned.
“Our financial sector now needs veterans to mange it and put us back on the running speed again, there are Liberians who have worked with international institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and African Development Bank. We need their expertise now, but don’t get me wrong that those in charge are not performing; they are performing but such difficult times needs old hands to jumpstart the financial sector. Our government and people should cut their coat according to measurement, we have to reduce expenditure.”
Commenting on the July 26 Independence Day celebrations, Allen thinks it would have been wrong to abort the celebrations because of hardship being experienced by Liberians.
He argues that birthday is about natural happening that nobody has control on, adding,“what sense it makes to abort birthday because no money, nobody can change their birth date.”
Liberia celebrates 172nd Independence this Friday, July 26, the first under the Weah administration that came to power in January, 2018.
Chief Allen maintains that the best option for the government is to reduce the budgetary allotment for the celebrations, pointing, if past administrations had spent one million United States dollars, the Weah administration should consider about US$300,000 for the Independence celebrations.He describes those calling for a cancellation of the celebrations as unpatriotic and insincere to their conscious. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
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