The opposition Liberty Party asks government to, with immediate effect, revisit safety measures at the Roberts International Airport and all border points of entry in the country to ensure they are effective.
The LP also recommends that government should reprimand all those responsible for allowing the suspended EPA director, Nathaniel Blama, to evade standing health emergency protocols at the RIA, which would serve as deterrence of a recurrence.
In further recommendations, the party wants to call in the paramilitary in effectuating a mandatory tracing of everyone with whom Mr. Blama had physical contact since his return to the country and ensure that they are quarantined as well as provide special emergency support to the press, health institutions, civil society organizations and local NGOs to begin a nationwide awareness.
The party says the authorities should close schools for a period of fourteen (14) days, consistent with the maximum incubation period for the COVID-19 to observe trend of the current cases, regulate attendance at all public places and ensure that traditional and religious leaders, local government structures are deeply involved with awareness processes.
“We call on everyone within our country and those entering to adhere to all emergency health and safety measures that are being provided by the government and the International Community. Throughout the history of our country, we have proven to be a resilient and courageous people. Let’s make it our individual and collective duty to overcome COVID-19 more spectacularly and with zero fatality,” a statement issued by the party reads.
“However, we did not envisage that COVID-19 would make its way into our population in a manner that was clearly preventable,” it adds.
According to the party, confirmation from President Weah that the virus made its way into the population through a senior official of government who made it a “choice” not to be tested and quarantined in keeping with prevailing protocols at the Roberts International Airport is disturbing, noting that Liberty Party is dismayed by the fact that the rule to have all travelers coming into Liberia from COVID-19 affected nations tested and quarantined would be subjected to arbitrary and individualized compliance. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor-Editing by Jonathan Browne
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