A group calling itself as the National Legislative Watch (NLW) is calling on the Liberian Senate to speedily confirm the re-appointed Director General of the National Social Security Corporation (NASSCORP), Dewitt vonBallmoos.
As the first branch of government resumes work, the NLW averred that President George Weah’s reappointment of vonBallmoos was based on his many achievements and contributions as Director General of NASSCORP since he took over the entity in March 2013; as such, there is a need to have him confirmed.
vonBallmoos succeeded Francis Carbah, who resigned in the first year of his appointment by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and ensured that the development of the entity remain cardinal in addition to formulating policies in the interest of the people, as well as fostering the agenda of the entity’s Investment Division, which was created in 2003.
The National Legislative Watch hailed the NASSCORP boss, and noted that he is known to many for his numerous humanitarian gestures and contributions to the socio-economic wellbeing of the country over the years.
According to the civil society group, research conducted by them reveals that DG vonBallmoos has ensured that the entity elevates from distributing pension funds to venturing into infrastructure investments, which has yielded positive results for the entity and the nation at large.
The NLW research outlined the construction of the NASSCORP Administrative Headquarter, which began in 2015, with construction works contracted to CESAF Liberia Limited.
“The edifice comprises of a seven-storey office building and a three-storey carport/office annex building that is being leased to Loita Capital. The building was dedicated and opened in April 2019,” the NACSUL boss revealed.
The National Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), in its goal to gradually establish infrastructure in the various counties for its regional operations, embarked upon the construction of a regional office in Tubmanburg, Bomi County (Region 3), where there previously existed a rented facility for regional operations. The construction of the regional office facility in Bomi commenced in 2019, and was completed in February 2021.
Furthermore, the group noted that major sectors of the Liberian society have also benefited from vonBallmoos and NASSCORP’s social corporate services, including the education and health sectors.
“In 2018, under the watch of DG vonBallmoos, NASSCORP began the construction of the Jahmale Medical Diagnostic Center at the ELWA Junction, Paynesville, which has become a major boost to the health sector.
The Jahmale Diagnostic Center is a modern medical diagnostics center which emerged due to the significant weaknesses in the country’s health delivery system.
The increased volume and high cost associated with Liberians travelling outside of Liberia to seek medical diagnostic services presented a sound basis for investment.
The diagnostic center is expected to attract and encourage Liberian medical specialist to return to the country as well as allow specialized knowledge transfer of local medical technicians.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, NASSCORP, as part of its corporate social responsibility, joined the fight against the deadly virus by visiting various communities in and around Liberia to distribute safety items and food as a way of assisting during the state of emergency.
“In addition to the distribution, the NASSCORP Pandemic Response Team educated the dwellers of each community about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and how to avoid getting infected. After the presentation, the leaders of each community lauded the efforts of NASSCORP for identifying with them and also assured the team that they will adhere to all the health protocols,” the group said.
As it relates to education, the NLW said, “On December 15, 2020 NASSCORP donated 50,000 notebooks to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to buttress government’s effort at improving the educational sector of the country by making notebooks available for all students in the country.”
The group revealed how DG vonBallmoos has been instrumental in President Weah’s quick impact projects, as well as other meaningful development projects around the country.
The NLW emphasized the need to confirm DG vonBallmoos in order that he may continue his many unfinished projects that are giving the nation a facelift.
The civil society maintained that confirming vonBallmoos as NASSCORP boss will be an added value to fostering the CDC’s flagship development agenda, the “Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD)”.
The group however, reminded that there has not been a day a single employee or beneficiary of NASSCORP complaint about salary delay and bad administrative practice, and that this is all due to the professionalism, competence and effectiveness and efficiency of Director General vonBallmoos.
