-Weah Unleashes Jabs At Detractors On The Bad Shape Of The Economy
“Four months ago, during my State of the Nation address, I reported to you that the state of the nation remains strong. This is still true today, as I deliver my second major national address in
2019”, declares President George M. Weah.
But being cognizant of the statute of limitation, and as the economy continues to suffer grimly from bad to worse; President George M. Weah in his quest to clean up former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s mess has been carefully reminded to be practical and inclusive of past and current skeletons trapped in the political closets.
Recently, President Weah vowed to begin the revision of all General Auditing Commission’s (GAC) completed audit reports spanning back to 10 years, wherein prompt actions would be taken against anyone found culpable.
However, pundits are equally so cautioning Dr. Weah that while it is a welcoming venture provided, he has also keenly equip himself with the statute of limitation in order to avoid any form of political or legal miscarriage in the process; they at the same time wondered why President Weah did not do the first thing first.
According to them it would have been professionally expedient, had Weah’s government from the onset, when the official turning over note was presented, to immediately conduct a comprehensive and forensic audit of the outgoing administration headed by Madam Sirleaf, and even despite consistent and persistent loud hue and cry for such exercise to be swiftly undertaken; wherein the incoming regime would then know what was left behind; what could not be accounted for(including the why) and what is being left to preside over.
Pundits further argued that had Weah done such audit scrupulously, there would be no room to trade allegation and denial between him (Weah) and Ellen with one person saying that he inherited a broke country and a broken economy while the other (Ellen) countercharges that she left over US$150m in the coffer and that the country was not broke.
They intoned that his delay to perform such official duty besides tons of calls from home and abroad or him to carry out the audit of the past regime while the moment was still fresh; has slammed him in a deeply grim and questionable catacomb; and in the wake of the heavily ailing, suffocated and non-responsive economy to the many cries of the people; it now remains a million dollars puzzle as to who wears the crown of the benefit of the doubt.
Political observers also inform Weah that while it is truth that delays are dangerous, it is much more saddened to be reminded that he who fails to prepare, prepares to fail therefore the battle confronting Weah is his failure to call spade a spade; and the pathetic aspect reflects Ellen’s chickens coming to Weah’s roost.
Meanwhile, “we Liberians should work together in our attempts to tackle our toughest problems and seek to make the choices that will lead to changes that have broad positive effects. For our country to attract investors and create jobs for our people, we need to start reforms now that will pay off in the future”, says Weah.
According to him, his Government is committed to the Pro-Poor Agenda that will lift up all of our people, not only a few. Education and healthcare are at the heart of our agenda, but we are also prioritizing roads and infrastructure to grow economic opportunity
Dr. Weah noted that even as we build a better future, we are addressing the problems of the past that still cast shadows over our people’s lives. We are implementing land reform and local governance laws passed by our legislature last year, and we are supporting dialogue at the local level, with assistance from international partners, that advances reconciliation and unity.
He continues: “we are also strengthening our legal system, training magistrates and judges, and shortening pre-trial detention to improve access to justice We intend to intensify our fight against corruption. But as we battle corruption, our fight will be based on the facts and the evidence of corrupt activities that is adduced by reports from audits that have been professionally conducted, rather than mere perceptions and unsubstantiated allegations”.
Touching on the recently concluded and presented procedural report from GAC, the Chief Executive added that in the next several days, my Government will begin the review of all General Auditing Commission audits over the past 10 years, and will commence legal actions against every person that is implicated in these audit reports. Anyone found culpable will face the full force of the law.
In this same spirit, he maintains that his Government also intends to contract international auditing and investigative firms to go after all monies and resources that were illegally taken from Liberia over the last 10 years. We must all take the fight against corruption to a new level as a form of social justice for all our people.
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