Lawmaker seeks US$25m stimulus package
Grand Kru County District #2 Representative Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa suggests to government to prepare a US$25 million emergency relief program in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic for Liberians especially, citizens in the affected counties.
Speaking to the media following his return from Grand Kru County, Rep. Koffa said government should reach out to international partners in providing funding to the vulnerable population.
The entire world is affected by the pandemic that broke out in Whuan, China in December, 2019.
Rep. Koffa who chairs the House Judiciary committee, noted the emergency relief at least should focus on a bag of rice per household, cans of meat and fish for the next three months.
On 16 March, Liberia confirmed its index case of the virus, who is a government official from Switzerland.
President George Weah controversially named the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Nathaniel Blama, of violating preventive health protocols at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Harbel, Margibi County when the suspended EPA boss chose not to be quarantined.
The second case was confirmed on 17 March 2020, a domestic worker for the first case. Liberia’s third case of COVID-19 was confirmed on 20 March involving a 63-year-old Linda Ross.
Ross recently returned from Italy. Following this third case, the Ministry of Health in Monrovia declared a national health emergency in Liberia. On March 24, 2020, neighboring Ivory Coast announced it closed land borders with Liberia and Guinea in a measure to contain COVID-19 Cllr. Koffa further suggested that government should engage the World Food program, the United States government, European Union, local businesses and partners.
He said the Ministry of Public Works should work with various municipalities to develop address system for each house and statistics on each of the 1.5 million households. Editing by Jonathan Browne