By Alex Yomah
In fulfillment of President George Weah’s much publicized nationwide tour, saw the Liberian leader and his entourage landing in the Capital City of Gbarnga, Bong County and its surrounding districts on Friday, February 12, 2021.
In Salala, the Gateway to Bong County and Sanoyea Districts, the Liberians leader was involved in series of engagements with elders, youths, women including leaders of the county which among other things, were centered on the development of the county.
As part of the engagements, President Weah received heap of petition statements from Salala and Sanoyea Districts which contained scores of development proposals outlined by the citizens.
President George M. Weah’s visit was described as colorful by bystanders and supporters of government due to the rousing welcome he and his entourage received on the first day’s visit as part of his tour named and styled “President’s Citizens Engagements Tour” in the county.
As you may be aware, President George Weah led an array of officials in fulfillment of his much publicized nationwide tour which among other things is intended to appreciate Liberians for voting him and to also get firsthand information from his people.
The President’s nationwide tour was graced by senior officials of government including the Dean of the Liberian Cabinet, Saah Maxwell Kemayah; Minister of Justice, Frank Dean Musa; Finance Minister, Samuel Tweah; Transport Minister, Samuel Wulue; Commerce Minister, Mawine Diggs and the EPA Boss, Prof. Wilson Tarpeh among others.
At the President’s first and second engagements with the people of Salala and Sanoyea Districts, religious leaders, youths, women and persons living with disabilities in their jubilant mood commended the President for his many development initiatives and presented separate petitions containing citizens’ plights.
In separate petition statements ready by Vivian Tengbeh, a classroom teacher in Salala and Milton Varney, District Commissioner, partial view of them indicated issues of Roads connectivity, the construction of market halls, loan scheme for marketers, the construction of a vocational school for youths, tutorship mechanism to train classroom teachers, industrial farming proposals, empowerment of the disable community, among others indicated by Vivian Tengbeh.
Also representing Sanoyea District, Commissioner Milton Varney stressed the need for industrial farming in a petition statement presented to President Weah.
He said farming is vital to the growth and development of the people in the district. According to him, an attempt for the government to show deaf ears to the issue of farming, acute hunger will strike the people of the district which he said, President Weah does not want to happen. The citizens, in their petition also craved for the construction of regional health center that will cater to the people of Fuamah, Sanoyea and Salala Districts.
The petitioners mentioned the inclusion of public teachers on government’s payroll, and most importantly, the citizens stressed the need for government to augment security logistics in the Sanoyea District, noting that people in that part of the district are not safe.
In response, President George Weah assured their petitioners’ plights to be addressed through their respective lawmakers.
According to him, they (petitioners) have genuine plights but entreated indulgence of the citizens to pass the petition through their respective representatives.
He said the lawmakers are responsible for appropriation of the fiscal budget, noting that if they include “What you are seeking here today, my job for you is to sign it,” amidst hands of applause.
He reiterated that his visit to Bong and other counties are squarely geared towards thanking Liberians for voting him as President during the 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
According to him, the visit is also intended to fulfill this promise during the 2017 elections that he would have returned to appreciate if he was given the chance by the people of Liberia through their votes to be their President.
“During the elections, I made lots of big mouth but the good thing about it, I am doing it small, small. I have proven to you the person you voted for. As you can see, in three years, you can see what we are doing. We need your support so that together we can build Liberia for all of,” President Weah said.
Adding, “If you work with us, you will not lose anything. Tell your lawmakers to work with us; you can’t be building a bridge while we are also building bridges so, if you work with us and if a lawmaker wants to build a bridge in a district, that lawmaker needs to partner with us so that we, together can build one bridge for the people, and together we can build his project,” President Weah noted.
Even though the Liberian leader indicated that his visit was not intended for politics but said; “Let’s put aside politics and work together. You gave them 12 years and they did nothing,” Weah throwing jibe at former ruling Unity Party.
He also urged Bongise to work with him, noting that when it is time for politics, all the politicians will converge at various political headquarters to discuss politics.