Weah complains

Amidst mounting public criticisms against two controversial road financing loans secured by government totaling nearly US$1 billion, Liberia’s President George Manneh Weah says he does not know what Liberians want by criticizing him while he is trying to build roads here.

“I don’t know what Liberians want. I told them that if you elect me, I will build your roads. I am trying to build the roads, they are criticizing me. From 1847 to 2018, we Liberians still don’t know what we want; if you don’t want road and good health system, let me know”, Mr. Weah said Sunday, 10 June in Gbarnga, Bong County.

He is on a two – day tour of central Liberia including Bong and Nimba Counties where he is reiterating government’s commitment to construct roads as a key priority.

According to a release issued by the Executive mansion, Mr. Weah says as President of Liberia, he will ensure that the roads connecting major cities, including farm to market roads will be built to improve the living condition of citizens.
“Since the campaign up till now, I have been asked about my platform and vision. Well, my vision is to fix the roads so that the people in the villages will be able to sell their farm products”, President Weah quipped at a welcoming ceremony in his honor by citizens of Bong County in Gbarnga on Sunday, 10 June.

During the ceremony, President Weah also expressed disappointment in the manner Liberians are reacting to his efforts to develop the country, particularly in terms of efforts being made for the construction of roads.

The Weah-led government has been facing huge criticisms for soliciting support from partners to construct major roads across the country in order to ease traveling constraints faced by Liberians, mainly during the rainy seasons.

One of such partners is a Burkinabe business friend of President Weah in person of Mr. Mahamadou Bonkoungou from whom government is securing over USD420m loan for the construction of roads network here.

That loan is in addition to a US$536m loan the Weah – led government has also secured from another controversial private financial firm known as Eton to also finance the development of a coastal corridor here, in spite of widespread public criticisms.

But President Weah describes as unfortunate, the wave of criticisms against the government’s development efforts, and stresses that such trend is indicative of some Liberians’ lack of appreciation.

He says it also shows that they don’t know what they want, saying: “The key to success is trying to please God and the key to failure is trying to please everyone.”

“We have to plan and work together for the betterment of our country. So my government will continue every project that was started by the previous government. When the roads are good you can achieve your goal in a day, that is what development can do”, President Weah adds. He then urges citizens to set their priorities straight and be specific about what they really want.