Editorial: Weah moving to the Executive Mansion is laudable

Editorial: President George Manneh Weah is going down in history as the first Liberian President to occupy the Executive Mansion nearly 16 years after it was gutted by fire under the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

President Weah recently announced the decision to move to the Executive Mansion, official home of the Liberian Presidency on date that coincides with the Bicentennial celebration.

The decision by Mr. Weah is not only encouraging and commendable but demonstrates boldness and leadership that should be applauded by all patriotic Liberians. Indeed, it takes a farsighted and optimistically courageous leader to step forward and take the bull by the tail.

The Executive Mansion is not just home of the Presidency. It is a sacred heritage of the Republic where distinguished visiting guests of the President are entertained and sometimes hosted. In short, it is one of the pride of the Nation.

Constructed in the 1960s, it has served several former Liberian presidents and interim leaderships, ranging from William V.S. Tubman, Dr. William R. Tolbert, Jr., President Samuel Kanyon Doe, Charles Ghankay Taylor, and Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. But Madam Sirleaf’s stay at the Executive Mansion was short-lived, as during the celebration of Liberia’s 159th Independence Day on July 26, 2006, just in her first year in office, while entertaining foreign guests and dignitaries on the Fifth Floor, fire gutted the building.  

Three former West African Heads of State namely; John Kufuor of Ghana, Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast and Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone along with scores of dignitaries were in attendance when the despicable incident occurred, sixteen years ago that constrained President Weah’s predecessor, Madam Sirleaf to spend her entire two terms at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Executive Mansion survived one bloody coup that toppled President William R. Tolbert on April 12, 1980, and several abortive takeovers ranging from President Samuel Kanyon Doe on November 12, 1985, to ‘Collective President’ Charles Ghanaky Taylor in September 1996, among others.   

The relocation of President Weah to the Mansion sends a strong signal of security and stability following massive renovation over the period. This is a positive sign that once more gives the Presidency the dignity it deserves.

For the past 16 years, the Presidency has been displaced and squeezed up on the last Floor of the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia much to the embarrassment of the bureaucratic structure of the Liberian government.

For the most part of his tenure, President Weah has conducted the affairs of state from his private residence along the Roberts International Airport highway in Margibi County. Therefore, his move to the Executive Mansion should be highly welcomed, particularly as Liberia celebrates 200 years of Nationhood.

However, we hope that this relocation will not be for occasional events, but for regular conduct of the affairs of government like it used to be in the past to maintain the dignity and respect for the highest office of the Land.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/lcc-leads-prayers-at-executive-mansion/