The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Toga McIntosh Gayewea, is yet to decide on his political future whether to contest for any public office during the legislative and presidential polls in 2023.
In a philosophical comment during a live interview on state-owned radio midweek (Wednesday), Ggayewea had callers or listeners confused, because he could not be definite about his participation in the electoral processes as a foregone conclusion.
Fortnight ago, the economist announced that he will no longer sit on the fence but will be an active participant and will hold consultations with fellow compatriots at home and abroad.
Until then, he could not decide which public offices, be it the Presidency, Vice, Senatorial or Representative he will be contesting for in the slated elections which is expected to be tensed and perhaps nasty.
Gayewea indicated that in making any decision for public office, one must first hold consultations with relatives and friends thereby making those critical analyses to reach an informed decision.
“I’m still holding consultations, both locally and internationally but it is a known fact that I am going to be an active player or participant in the electoral processes and will no longer sit on the fence like in the past,” he noted.
About his political alliances, Gayewea stated that he is a full member of the former governing Unity Party (UP) which he and others struggled to revive into a ruling party when it was being housed in a single room with one bench being used as seat at the time.
“I joined UP many years ago when those claiming ownership were nowhere to be found. At the time, the party was in a single-room with one bench to sit on. Others and I spent sleepless days and nights to make it winnable. Though, I did resign but went back later,” he recounted.
Gayewea, though admitted being a current member of the governing council of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change said he turned down the recent presidential nomination as Chairperson of the Governance Commission (GC) on grounds that he was not consulted.
“I was not consulted when the pronouncement was made, only to hear through the media while I was out of the country. When returned I engaged the presidency by thanking the President for my preferment,” he noted.
However, he stated further: “I informed the President of my intention to be an active participant during next year’s election therefore I could not accept the nomination and he thanked me and wished me well in my future endeavors.”
The Governance Commission; formerly the Governance Reform Commission (GRC) where he once served as Executive Director was given birth as part of the Accra, Ghana Wednesday, August 18, 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement or CPA signed amongst warring factions, civil society organizations and political parties to end the Liberian Civil War.
About Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s candidature for the Unity Party (UP) for next year, Gayewea pointed out that Boakai has played his role, but if wanting to be, then, he needs to work harder to earn it.
McIntosh has acquired, during the last 43 years, technical, professional and managerial work experiences at both national and international levels, organizing training workshops and advising governments and institutions on capacity building and on the formulation and management of development policies, strategies and programs.
He worked for the Government of Liberia between 1969 and 1981 gathering and processing socio-economic data; preparing economic analysis for development planning; and coordinating the preparation and implementation of national plans, policies and programs.
While serving as the National Policy Advisor to the Interim President of Liberia (1991-1993), he reviewed policy issues and advised the President and Cabinet on ways for promoting effectiveness in governance and economic management as well as for restoring peace in Liberia.
As the Executive Director for the Governance Reform Commission (May 2004 – August 2005), he led the technical team in the development of reform measures for the reconstruction and development of post conflict Liberia.
For nearly twenty years, while he was not in the service of his country, McIntosh provided technical and advisory services to a number of African governments and international agencies including the World Bank, UNDP, African Development Bank, and the African Union, UNECA, and USAID.
Ten of those years were spent serving with the United Nations advising on human resources planning, development and utilization in Africa while the other ten were spent on providing consultancy services.
In 2004, McIntosh returned to Liberia and served for two years as the Executive Director of the Governance Reform Commission that was established under the Accra Peace Accord.
Prior to his appointment as a Senior Advisor to the ED in early August, and subsequently his election as an Executive Director, he served as the Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs for two and a half years in the government leading a team in the reform efforts and the formulation of the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (IPRS) and the full PRS framework document.
As Minister he served as the Alternate Governor of the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank; and was a member of Council for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Mano River Union (MRU) respectively.
