The Deputy Speaker of the 54th Legislature, J. Fonati Koffa, has been selected as the Winner of the 2023 Golden Image Outstanding Award, in the category of empowerment.
The Deputy Speaker and several other individuals, including Liberians at home and foreigners, will be awarded the prestigious Golden Image Awards in different categories on Thursday, July 20, 2023, in the Ball Room of the Monrovia City Hall, and the event’s red carpet starts at 6:30pm.
This year will mark the 13th Edition of the Golden Image Award since its foundation in 2011. President George Manneh Weah is the Convener for the Award.
In a letter to ClIr. Koffa, Representative of District 2, Grand Kru County, dated July 10, 2023; the National Secretariat of the Golden Image Awards; the Liberia Crusaders for Peace and partners, in association with the Government of the Republic of Liberia, formally announced his selection as winner and recipient of the 2023 Golden Image Award in the national level category of Empowerment.
“Your entity selection comes following a thorough research and vetting of names and profile of individuals, organizations, and countries that were submitted by a network of national and international committee members to the National Secretariat of the Golden Image Award for scrutiny in September 2022,” the community says.
“Your entity profile which will be read during the official award ceremony proved captivating and possessed all the attributes listed in the selection criteria; hence, the committee selected you as the Winner of the Golden Image
Outstanding Award.”
The Golden Image Award is an annual national Liberian meritorious award event. This initiative is an outcome of a vision which was conceived by the Liberian Crusaders for Peace, 12 years ago. This vision is premised on the need to honor and celebrate our unsung heroes whose contributions to the society range from peace, development, through investment, health, education, leadership, democracy, justice, human rights, arts, culture, and other human development initiatives, nationally or internationally, but often go unnoticed.
Meanwhile, recently in London, the United Kingdom; the African Leadership Magazine (ALM) named Deputy Speaker as the African Outstanding Lawmaker of the Year and presented him a glass plaque in recognition of his excellence.
The ALM also unveiled its 2023 Magazine, with Liberia’s Deputy Speaker on the cover in his honor, with a bold inscription, “Legislative Excellence”.
“A very distinguished lawmaker has become a beacon of hope to the seemingly voiceless sections of the (Liberian) people since he began to challenge age-old norms and traditions that are injurious to the populace. Among several other milestone achievements, he is known to be at the forefront of increasing women’s representation in Liberia,” the ALM wrote on the cover.
Between 2017 and 2023, it is believed that the Deputy Speaker constructed five schools in Grand Kru County, namely: Chemgbetee, Sasstown, Taybue, Wropluken and Kayken while the 6th sixth school is presently at roof level.
Other achievements recounted were the promotion of the media diversity in Grand Kru County as he is said to have also constructed two radio stations; Ahteena Radio and the Voice of Sasstown.
He is said to have renovated two health clinics and providing support for its sustenance, as well as providing subsidy to over 100 volunteer teachers ad is at the same time providing scholarships to over 1,300 students in elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions, including vocational schools.
According to the organizers, the Deputy Speaker lobbied for the construction of two universal towers in Parluken and Dweken ad he also donated cash and materials to the renovation of schools, clinics, churches, mosques, town halls, youth centers, as well as over L$5m to women empowerment in Grand Kru County, among others.
