Bill W. Cooper
President George Weah has informed the National Legislature about the extension of his stay abroad due to other official engagements requiring his travel to France, Monaco, and the United States of America.
In his communication dated November 18, 2022 which is in the possession of this paper, President Weah said he has been invited to attend the 13th Edition of the Peace and Sports International Forum, in Monaco, France, as a Special Guest of Honor, from November 30, 2022 to December 3, 2022.
Accordingly, the Liberian leader’s renewed communication now differs from the previous communication to that august body dated November 1, 2022, in which he informed that body that he would have been out of the country from November 1, 2022 to November 23, 2022.
He said, “The 5th Edition of the Paris Peace Forum which I attended in Paris, France was extended from November 15, 2022 to November 18, 2022 thereby necessitating an adjustment in my attendance as a Guest of Honor of FIFA at the World Cup in Doha, Qatar from November 18, 2022 to November 30, 2022.
“I have also been invited to attend the 13th Edition of the Peace and Sports International Forum in Monaco, France as a Special Guest of Honor, from November 30, 2022 to December 2, 2022, and thereafter I will travel to the United States where I will hold meetings with various business and political leaders of that country from December 4, 2022 to December 12, 2022,” he stated.
President Weah stated further that he has also been invited by the U.S. President, Joseph R. Biden to attend the United States-Africa Leaders’ Summit scheduled to be held in Washington D.C. from December 13, 2022 to December 15, 2022.
He added, “I will return to Liberia on December 18, 2022. While I am still away from the country, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean will continue to chair the Cabinet in consultation with the Vice-president and in telephone consultation with me.”
Meanwhile, several Liberians at home and abroad have vented their frustrations towards the Liberian Chief Executive over his recent extension and prolonged stay out of the country.
The Liberians who took to Facebook yesterday, November 23, 2022 further described the Liberian leader’s prolonged stay out of the country as “self-gratification over national benefits” only intended to satisfy his pleasurable life style.
The aggrieved Liberians also pointed out that the Liberian leader’s prolonged and extension of stay out of the country is also as a means to enable him watch the Qatar 2022 World Cup’s final slated for December 18, 2022.
According to them, it is unfortunate and disappointing for President Weah to have left the country on the heels of critical issues of national concerns coupled with the slow conduct of the National Population and Housing Census.
They maintained that it could have been prudent for the President to have sent either his Minister of State or Foreign Minster or some of his senior government officials to represent him and the country instead of himself.
The Liberians also criticized the Liberian Leader for using huge sum of tax payers’ money on his travel, adding, “The monies could have been used to address the enumerators hired by LISGIS as their benefits.”
“The monies could have also been used to pay civil servants who are yet to be paid as well as the judiciary workers and lawyers, but because this President lacks vision and doesn’t care about his citizens, he just went ahead to do the unthinkable,” they maintained.
