US based Liberians advocate for dual citizenships -meet Pres. Sirleaf
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says she’s humbled by the appreciation expressed by fellow compatriots and called on them to return with their varied skills to contribute to the development of their country.
According to a dispatch, the Liberian leader made the remarks shortly after her address to the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York when the leadership of a delegation of Liberians advocating for dual citizenship – based in Staten Island paid her a courtesy call. President Sirleaf challenged the delegation to establish the appropriate channels, contacts and links on the ground to crusade their agenda for dual citizenship by holding workshops, town hall gatherings, media engagements that will involve radio and television slots and increase the level of social media engagement.
She admonished Liberians to be good citizens and ambassadors of their country and cautioned them to desist from those tendencies that seek to tear the country apart. The Liberian chief executive said Liberians should remember that while everyone might not have the same political beliefs, there is one thing that binds us together and it is our common patrimony. Speaking earlier, the advocates for dual citizenship praised President Sirleaf for her wisdom in presenting to the National Legislature, a draft legislation that seeks to amend the constitution in order to grant dual citizenship to Liberians residing in the diaspora.
In separate comments, on behalf of the advocates – the group’s chair, Mr. Tokpa Porte and Secretary General, Comfort Itoka said dual citizenship offered numerous benefits for each country and called on fellow Liberians not to see their brethren as foreigners. They called on Liberians to embrace the idea of dual citizenship to promote the development of their country.
They called on Liberians at home to emulate the examples of Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans and a host of African countries that continue to enjoy the benefits of dual citizenship. “We might have been separated by the conflict – we are endeavoring to empower ourselves to be of benefit to our country and people,” they passionately entreated their compatriots.-Press Release
