State of the Nation Address: Victory Over Ebola- the Greatest Achievement

One of the main highlights of President Sirleaf’s State of the Nation Address to the Joint Session of the 53rd Legislature was the national health crisis.

And we would all agree that battle and gradual victory of the deadly Ebola virus or EVD was the greatest achievement of the Liberian Government in 2014.

While we do agree that much may not have been achieved in terms of the economy, infrastructure and others, it is necessarily fair to attribute such lack of progress to the devastating and almost overwhelming Ebola situation which diverted the attention of the administration from all other national initiatives.

Though we do not disagree with other critical concerns being raised against a number of elements in the President’s State of the Nation Address, we must also be sincere enough to register our appreciation to the Government of Liberia for not giving up, even when the worst was said about Ebola and our country, in its determination at all cost to ensure the survival and safety of the nation amid the rapid spread of the EVD.

The fact that President and government stood firm and unpretending in attracting the attention of the global community, including international medical charities to such national health crisis with which we were uncontrollably confronted, the government must be hailed for the level at which such international relations and collaboration achieved during the year 2014.

Had the President and government not moved quickly the way they did to occasion the arrival, efforts and numerous contributions of international medical charities, the European Union, World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, African Union, ECOWAS, as well as the United States, among others, we would have had no opportunities to even listen to a State of the Nation address and advance such criticisms as we are doing currently- probably, we all would have perished and only the rich and their families would have survived by departing the country.

The mere fact that there is drastic decline in the spread of the Ebola disease, especially in all of the epicentres across the country as evident by the current  decreased number of cases and death as reported by health authorise, the Almighty God must first be glorified for leading the President and government toward actions that have got us almost moving freely again.

And so, while we critically analyze the President’s address with all of the harshness and sentiments (even though, in some instances, we may be right), let us remember this one thing: had the President and her administration not demonstrated the highest degree of responsibility in taking charge of the Ebola situation in earnestly, we would have had a different story to explain by now.

For us, the victory over the deadly Ebola Virus that has got us all reassured as a people, was the greatest achievement of 2014 by the Government of Liberia.