By Bill W. Cooper
The Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) has described President George Weah’s recently delivered 6th and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) as an “Unrealistic Expression of Disjointed Logic.”
The EFFL, which is one of the newly accredited political parties in Liberia, also criticized the Liberian leader for not doing much to live up to the expectations and hope of the citizenry since his ascendancy to the country’s presidency.
President Weah, in fulfillment of Article 58 of the Constitution delivered his 6th and final SONA to the country through the National Legislature, on Capitol Hill in Monrovia.
And since the delivery of his address, there have been series of reactions from members of the opposition block which include the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Liberty Party (LP), Unity Party (UP) and the Student Unification Party (SUP).
Those institutions in their separate reactions to the Liberian leader’s address condemned his government for not doing much to address the bread-and-butter issues of the country but instead chose to deceive the citizenry with what they described as “speech full of rhetoric and lies.”
Addressing a news conference yesterday, at his EFFL headquarters in Congo Town, the party’s Commander-In-Chief, Emmanuel Gonquoi stressed that President Weah has over his five years in power underperformed at the office of the presidency making failed political promises to the Liberian people.
According to him, key sectors of the Liberian economy had been marginalized under the watch of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC’s) administration and have made no stride in delivering the country.
“This is the final annual message from President George Weah following his historic election from the soccer field to the Executive Mansion of our beloved country, and is considered as an Unrealistic Expression of a Disjointed Logic Authored at a State Style Funeral Service of a man who committed Genocide,” he asserted.
Gonquoi explained that during his first SONA, the President made a statement on the 25% reduction in his salary and benefits and called on all elected officials to do the same but such is yet to be actualized.
“Unfortunately, throughout his tenure of six years, we have not seen any legislation or practical action that reduces the President’s benefits and regrettably, he will be remembered for taking steps to reduce the salaries of his civil servants and not paying them in time,” Gonquoi disclosed.
Further in the EFFL response, Gonquoi intimated that throughout the tenure of President Weah, he has shown no interest in fighting corruption which is evidenced by the broad day butchering of the Constitution to weaken the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.
He maintained, “The President lacks moral standing to brag about fighting corruption or protecting human rights when under his administration, Liberia has become a state of terror, lack of hope and uncertainty.”
Speaking on reconciliation and the fight against impunity, the Economic Freedom Fighters described the President’s reported failure to implement the TRC recommendations as a total disrespect for those who have painfully lost family members in the Liberian civil war with no interest in healing the Republic.
He reported that Iron ore and rubber prices are even more attractive than before, but this Government has failed to introduce any policy that will provide room for domestic sector growth as means of enhancing our economy.
“Yet, as millions of Liberians often go to bed with hunger, we are left to wonder what realistic economic data that the President is using to project growth,” Gonquoi added.
The party through its leader said the President’s free tuition policy at public tertiary institutions is calamitous and the system is polluted in need of a massive global overhaul of the sector.
