By Varney K. Sirleaf
The Director General of the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA), Prof. Alexander B. Yonly said Liberia can only rise if those who are professionals do their jobs professionally and be loyal to the state.
Prof. Yonly who made the statement last week Friday when he delivered the keynote address at LIPA’s 3rd Quarter Graduation Ceremony at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town said, anything less than that, Liberians have lost their values for service and become liabilities.
Speaking on the theme ‘Working collectively for collective benefits,’ the Director General said Liberia needs expertise and citizens of sound judgment; people who are willing to work under diverse conditions, with one goal directed to changing circumstances and conditions.
“I call on you to make the difference; stand out tall and rise above pettiness,” he urged the graduates as he also called on the participants to de-politicize their minds and fit themselves within the Civil Service Code.
The LIPA boss challenged the graduates to champion the public and private sectors with innovation, effectiveness and efficiency, stating that they can ‘revolutionize the public sector through de-politicization of the Civil Service structure and re-energize it with commitment, dedication, selflessness, proficiency, tenacity of purpose and self-discipline.’
“We need men and women that will stand out more for unity, peace, stability and the right atmosphere to increase investments, create more job opportunities and better the human,” he stated and maintained that the graduates should begin to practice the skills of negotiation, dialogue with conversation and positive engagement thereby urging them to avoid the temptation of violence.
He then charge the graduates to go out and make LIPA proud by sending a positive message of the country to the International scene stating that ‘whatever you make your country, is what you will be confronted by because violence is only an option to those who lack ideas and skills of engagement.”
The LIPA’s Director General lavished praises on President George M. Weah for his farsightedness in leadership who found it prudent to set up an Incident Management Team that is creating awareness and has put in place health protocols that is saving many lives of Liberians as well as foreign residents during this Covid-19 outbreak.
The institute graduated over 400 participants in various disciplines including Internal Audit & Control, Public Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Public Procurement, Banking & Finance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Customer Services & Management, Administrative Management and Project Planning.