Weah to break ground for AFL Hospital

Liberia’s Minister for State and Presidential Affairs Nathaniel Fallo McGill has told the New Dawn that President George Manneh Weah, will break grounds for the construction of the Armed Forces of Liberia or AFL specialized hospital next month.

President Weah on February 12, at a ceremony held in observance of Armed Forces Day here promised to construct a specialized hospital that will carter to the men and women of the AFL and other paramilitary personnel.

“I want to inform you, that I shall seek funds to build a hospital exclusively for the use of the Army and other security forces. This will be the first ever Military Hospital built in Liberia,” Mr. Weah said while addressing soldiers at the Barclay Training Center (BTC) on Monday February 12, in observant of the Armed Forces Day, which felt on February 11.

The Liberian Commander In Chief said the hospital will be equipped with the most modern facilities, and will be staffed by highly trained medical personnel.
Well, Acting President McGill told this paper in an exclusive chat Saturday February 17, that the President is committed to deliver on this promise and has scheduled March for the groundbreaking ceremony. However, it is not clear where exactly the hospital will be built and how long it will take.

But the president said at the time that the hospital will be a teaching hospital, “to train our men and women in arms in all medical disciplines.”The Minister of State said the move by the President demonstrates his desire to work for the Liberian people and not to amass wealth at their expense.
He said the president has begun seeking support from multilateral and bilateral partners to ensure that he deliver on his promises to the Liberian people.
Commenting further, Mr. McGill said the Liberian government headed by President Weah is not seeking ‘personal’ wealth for officials of government and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC); instead the government is working assiduously towards improving the livelihood of all Liberians.
He said it is very early and pity for some Liberians who called themselves ‘critics’ to start criticizing the young administration that took office just this gone January 22.
According to Mr. McGill, President Weah has an ambitious plan that will spur rapid growth and development and that is the vision he has begun working upon to ensure that an enabling environment is created and space be given to every Liberian to play their respective role in making Liberia a better place.
He maintained that while it is true that the presidential appointees are youthful, they are not desperate people, adding; they are young generation that is willing to work and make that transformation that history will remember them.
“We are not here to make money for ourselves; people who have that kind of thinking miss the mark. Our agenda for the country is plain and straight to the point-that is moving our youthful population to the direction of improved economic, social, health and education level globally and President Weah is determined and he’s working very hard in achieving that,” he said.
Responding to recent criticism about President Weah’s trips, where US$52,000 is said to be the total budget for the trip to Dakar, Senegal, Rabat, Morocco, and Paris, France both official and private visits. McGill said that the amount is ‘diminutive’ for such a long trip.
He noted that the President is accompanied by 15 persons, including security and protocol officers, his wife and few officials of government that had vital role on the trip.
He explains that taking into account the duration of the trip and the team, the amount is small and reduced due to the private jet being provided to President Weah.
Minister McGill pointed out that the trip is to raise support and build international relationship with friendly nations and donors who can come to support the president’s pro poor agenda in these difficult times.-Edited by Othello B. Garblah