No real suggestions

The political leader of the Alternative National Congress, Mr. Alexander Cumming criticizes President George Manneh Weah’s nationwide address on the economy on Monday, 16 July noting that the President’s statement lacks real suggestions for the huge economic challenge that has engulfed the country.

Speaking at his party headquarters in Monrovia on Tuesday, 17 July during dedicatory ceremony for a resource center, he observes that the President’s statement failed to provide direct policy suggestions and guidance, meaning it should have given more suggestions for the country to explore but to the contrary, not many suggestions came out, Cummings notes.

In his speech Monday, President Weah said his economic team will start to study economic constraints facing the country and the reform will soon commence. Weah discloses the team will comprise of relevant officials of the Central Bank of Liberia and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, among others.

He said in the short-term government is infusing US$25 million in the economy to mop up excess liquidity and strength the Liberian dollar.But Mr. Cummings, who contested for the presidency in 2017 and lost, says the opposition bloc, comprising the former ruling Unity Party, Liberty Party and his own Alternative National Congress are preparing to issue a joint statement shortly on the President’s statement and proffer recommendations to salvage the economy.

Commenting on the impending senatorial by-elections in Montserrado and Bong Counties, he says the ANC has already pledged its support to Independent Candidate Dr. Henrique Topkah of Bong County and Unity Party Candidate, Madam Josephine George Francis, for Montserrado County, respectively, adding that the grand opposition coalition will soon issue a statement of endorsement to that effect.

On the resource center, the ANC strongman explains the facility is in line with the party’s motto; Liberia first, and the party cares about the intellectual plight of the people.

According to him, the center is a manifestation of the goodwill of the ANC’s United States of America branch, disclosing that the USA branch also provided a ‘smart television and projector that had allowed Liberian kids and youths to entertain themselves daily.

By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Editing by Jonathan Browne