By Emmanuel wise Jipoh
President George Manneh Weah appears to face a headache in strategizing his re-election bid with his cabinet members ahead of the crucial presidential and legislative elections due October 2023.
On Monday, 24 April 2023, Mr. Weah and his Cabinet Ministers began a three-day Special Cabinet Retreat in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County.
But President Weah seemed to be annoyed with his cabinet ministers as he knocked the gable to kickstart the retreat.
He looked very serious and focused without making any opening statement to commerce the sessions on Monday.
However, following a day of hard talks with his cabinet, Mr. Weah said high on the agenda of the 3-day Special Cabinet Retreat was to strategically engage his cabinet on adequate plans in preparation for the crucial October Presidential and Legislative elections.
He expressed confidence that he will be re-elected this October, though the decision rests in the hands of the Liberian people.
The incumbent faces several opposition leaders who are battling him for the presidency.
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Among them is Liberia’s former Vice President, now the standard bearer of the main opposition Unity Party (UP), Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai.
Former Coca-Cola Executive, now leader of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Alexander B. Cummings is seen as one of Weah’s major opponents fighting for the presidency.
And a son of vote-rich Nimba Count and former president of the Liberia National Bar Association Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe is battling Mr. Weah for the nation’s highest office.
Despite receiving criticisms for bad governance, corruption, and hardship engulfing Liberians under his rule, Mr. Weah insists that he will get re-elected this October.
At the special retreat, President Weah appreciated his cabinet members for the great job done over the past five years.
“We thank our Ministers and SOE [state-owned enterprises] for the great job done over the past five years,” said President Weah.
“And let them know, we are going to [an] election and prepare for the election and wait for the Liberia people to re-elect [us],” Mr. Weah said.
Day one of the cabinet retreat saw technical working sessions which brought together all senior government officials and heads of SOEs.
They deliberated on the next one hundred- and sixty-nine-days’ deliverable of the government, especially centering around the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
