Ellen makes 911 call

The Director General of the Liberian Cabinet, Jordan B. Sulonteh, has emphasized to cabinet ministers here that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is sounding a 911 call for clarity of purpose, efficiency in government and coordination among the various parastatals for the remaining three years of her administration.

President Sirleaf chaired a two-day cabinet retreat this week on her private farm, Julijuah in Bomi County, western Liberia, the first in the New Year.

The Liberian leader emphasized during the retreat that for the remaining years, government will “prioritize among the priorities”, giving the serious challenges facing the administration in achieving delivery of key projects, including roads, infrastructure and power to the public.

“As we leave this retreat, there is a 911 call from the President; a 911 call for clarity of purpose as a government; a 911 call for efficiency in government and a 911 call for coordination across government,” said Director Sulonteh.

Members of the cabinet are expected to submit to the President about three to five proposed priority programs for the New Year by next week Tuesday, January 27, 2015.

But whether or not government ministries and agencies have aggressive agendas these three years, Finance and Development Planning Minister, Amara Konneh, said “domestic financing” is going to be a major problem “because we’ve been hit very hard” by Ebola virus.

Mr. Konneh made the comment after Public Works Minister, Gyude Moore, gave an aggressive outlook of the ministry’s agenda on road projects that will require domestic financing, among other activities.

However, cabinet ministers were challenged by their colleague, Dr. Clarence K. Moniba, who heads the Presidential Delivery Unit or PDU that it was left to them to ensure that the remaining three years are the most productive, if they must defeat public perception here that there will be “stealing and corruption.”

Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney-General, Benedict Sannoh, reminded his colleagues that the Ebola Virus raised a situation that invited lot of differences in activities.

Minister Sannoh suggested the need to now engage investors because the Ebola situation triggered the suspension of works by contractors, investors and companies, with expatriates exiting due to insecurity fear.

By Winston W. Parley