By Lincoln G. Peters
Presidential aspirant Dr. Jeremiah Z. Whapoe says, it’s very saddening and frustrating that at 174, Liberia has failed to work in line with her age through wisdom to develop and eliminate poverty, promising that he is ready and prepared to restore and give back to the Liberian people what is rightfully theirs that the locust has stolen.
The leader for the Vision for Liberia Transformation (VOLT) notes that at 174 years, Liberia is still not wise enough in making national decisions for positive transformation that will better the lives of its citizens, adding “We are still hiring Ghanaians to plant our light poles and Chinese are still driving trucks in our companies while we have potential Liberians that can do the same job.”
Speaking over the weekend during a tour of Grand Cape Mount County, western Liberia, Dr. Whapoe said Liberia needs to work with wisdom and in conformity with her age because due to the same lack of wisdom, the country killed her 19th President, Dr. William R. Tolbert in 1980.
“What is happening to Liberia is a serious curse because we Liberians are not noted for dancing and fighting for the good people but for the bad and wrong things. We killed former President Tolbert, who was a pastor, because of poverty therefore, we are going through the punishment. That can be broken but we have to join forces and hands to bring the right people on board”, he urges.
He says the locus has stolen so much from Liberia and its people, so he is entering the presidential race come2023 to restore all that has been taken away, pointing out that free healthcare policy of 19 dollars for each citizen and the Liberinalization Policy are not impacting lives of ordinary Liberians but government officials and their families.
Dr. Whapoe says he is seriously tired of seeing children going to bed hungry and people in the street begging. “We continue to live in our own country as if we are living in foreign land because people are dying young and no investigation and cause for their death.”
“I ask citizens of this nation, I have come to you to deliver to you what has been taken from you. It’s clearly stated Biblically that what the locus has taken away from you if you believe in God, it will be restored. What I am saying to you, if you can believe and join hands with me, together we can restore what has been stolen from you and it will be replaced”, he assures citizens of Grand Cape Mount.
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Meanwhile, explaining his platform to the citizens, and how he intends to restore what the locust has stolen, Dr. Whapoe explains that Liberia’s common enemy is poverty which is growing on a daily basis due to Liberians’ inability to feed themselves.
He says he will use agriculture to transform Liberia and make it a better place where all citizens will live happily by growing what they eat to stop too many importations of goods from other countries that he observes is draining down the country’s economy, making it to get poorer each day.
“It’s very easy for anybody to compromise their value once they are in poverty. There is nothing like independence of thought in poverty. Once your pocket is not independent, you will not have independent thought and decision rather you will be controlled by others, as we are seeing today in the case of our country. If you people can make available agriculture land, we will grow our own food as I am doing in other counties”, he challenges people of Cape Mount.
In response, citizens thanked Dr. Whapoe for visiting the county, adding that they are ready to make sure that the wrongs created in the past are corrected.
“All that you have said here today is so, so truth my son. We are ready and willing to work with you to correct the wrongs. The mistakes we made, we are ready to revoke them in 2023. We have all the resources in Grand Cape Mount County but we have nothing to show. We are going to bed hungry every day. Our children are struggling to make a living. We as elders are even unable to take care of our family because everything we are doing is from hands to mouth”, Elder Momo S. Dosif of Medina explains.
Also speaking, the head of Women of Grand Cape Mount County Oldma Bendu Kanneh, alias Radio Bomi, said that they see themselves in everything that Dr. Whaope said, and appeals to him to continue to visit them.
“I agree with you on your agriculture policy because it’s what we need to develop Liberia and open job opportunities for all Liberians. We will make the land available and call you back for us to start our own agriculture production, as you are doing in Nimba, Bong, Margibi, amongst others. My son, you say all the real things we are faced with, so I have nothing much to say but thank you and we are willing to work with you”, Madam Kanneh concludes.
Dr. Whapoe over the weekend visited Madina in Grand Cape Mount County and other towns, including Modema Estate and Gbah.
The presence of the VOLT political leader in the county was historic, as the entire Grand Cape Mount exploded with heavy crowd erupting from every direction, including women group, men, youth, elders and children who welcomed Dr. Whapoe with traditional gifts such as white chicken, country rice and cola nuts, symbolizing clear heart, acceptance, safety and security. Editing by Jonathan Browne
