The Standard Bearer of the Liberian National Union (LINU), Clarence Moniba, has called on the citizenry to vote ‘wisely’ in the upcoming general elections, stressing that “Liberia is at stake.”
Moniba, who once served as Minister of State without Portfolio for former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, emphasized, “My fellow Liberians, with only weeks until elections, the future of our country is at stake.”
“This presidential election will truly define our rise as a country, or keep us backwards for the next 100 years. It is that serious, my fellow citizens. We cannot afford to make another major mistake at the polls and then spend the next 6 years complaining about how our country is not developing,” he said.
Addressing a team of journalists yesterday, September 18, 2023, in Paynesville, also called on Liberians to challenge themselves to vote for what is in the interest of Liberia, and noted, “Believing that we can truly have a country representing our age in Africa.”
“Believe that we can be that leader in not just this sub-region but all of Africa again. Believe that our healthcare system will be good enough for all. Believe that our school system can rise to the level of producing students that can compete universally.
“Believe in yourselves, my fellow citizens. Don’t vote the lesser of two evils on October 10. That is not a governing philosophy. Vote for the one opposition ticket that can step in on Day 1 and re-engage the international donor community and they will engage them back because they know and trust them,” he maintained.
According to him, it also baffled him to see that until now, no other candidate has truly spoken to the Liberian people about their plans for this country, if they win the upcoming elections, thus positioning himself as the only alternative to liberate Liberia and Liberians.
Commenting on his platform bad vision for Liberia, Moniba said if elected as President, no student will graduate from high school without earning a technical and vocational certificate in their three years of high school.
This, the LINU Standard Bearer emphasized, that as President, his government will graduate people from high school who are also carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and caterers, among other skilled professions.
For corruption, Moniba vowed to ensure that every single government official will have to declare their assets as required by law, before ever stepping one foot in office, and stated, “You cannot be in charge of millions of dollars of our people’s money without first letting the country know your personal and financial worth.”
“And also, to fight corruption, we have to do away with this culture of impunity where nobody is held accountable. Under the Moniba/Kpaan administration, people who steal government money will go to jail and have their properties seized to pay back what was stolen – simple as that,” he assured.
On health, Moniba said, “I have said it over and over again: we are going to build this country, district by district. Each district in Liberia will have a modern, functioning hospital that the people of that district can go to, while JFK and Jackson F. Doe hospitals will be elevated to modern standards and become referral hospitals for West Africa.”
In drugs, the LINU leader assured, “We will have a zero-tolerance policy on the issue of drug importation in this country. If you bring or sell drugs in Liberia, through whatever means, you will face the full weight of the law with no exception and you will be in jail. If you think we are joking, try it on day one of our administration and you will regret it immediately!”
For agriculture, Moniba asserted, “we can no longer continue to go looking for our staple food of rice at the Freeport of Monrovia. Every county in this country will be responsible for food production for this country. For example, you go to Lofa, Bong, Gbarpolu, Bomi, and Cape Mount, and train and equip the citizens to produce all of the rice that the Liberian people will eat.”
Meanwhile, Moniba added, “To immediately jump start the economy, in addition to the educational, tourism, and agricultural policies I just outlined, which will certainly help with jobs and commercial transactions, we will immediately seek to employ thousands of Liberians in the maritime sector.”
