Economy is stable on paper

DPPL disagrees with President Weah

By Ramsey N. Singbeh, in Margibi county

The organizing chairman of the Democratic People’s Party of Liberia (DPPL) Rev. David G.B. Kiamu says President Weah’s claim that the economy of Liberia is stable is far from reality, noting “The economy might be stable on paper but in reality, you know that’s not true.” 

Commenting on the President’s statement in an interview with reporters in Kakata, Margibi County over the weekend, Mr. Kiamu said President Weah should define what he meant by the “economy is stable” when he delivered his Annual Message on 24^th January to the 54^th Legislature at the Capitol.

The DPPL executive thinks the Weah government interpreted economic stability in its own terms, wondering if the ordinary people in the country are not feeling the pinch of the economy.

Addressing the nation on Monday, January 24, 2022, while commenting on the state of the Liberian economy, President Weah said: “Despite the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy grew by 3.6 percent from negative 3 percent in 2020, and growth this year is expected to be 4.7 percent, through increased agricultural and public investments in the social compact program.”

The President continued that in nominal value, the Liberian economy expanded by more than US$300 million in 2021, and that inflation was reduced to less than 6 percent in November 2021, from 13.1 percent in December 2020.

“Based on the report that I have just made to you, I can state categorically, and with confidence, that the State of our Economy is Stable and Growing, and that the State of the Nation is Peaceful and Strong!” Mr. Weah said.

But Mr. Kiamu disagrees:  “He said one thing that ok, the economy is stable and they interpreted that in their own terms but you the ordinary people on the ground, do you see money everywhere, do you have access to money, are you not feeling the economic pinch? Things are difficult.”

The Democratic People’s Party of Liberia (DPPL) is one of the newest political institutions in the country that was certificated in November 2021 by the National Elections Commission joining the dozens of parties here. Editing by Jonathan Browne