By: Stephen G. Fellajuah
Email fellajuahstepheng@gmail.com
The Revolutionary Youth League of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has furthered commended the President for highlighting the looming potential shortage of rice- the country’s staple food on the Liberian market upon his return to the country, but with a call to address the situation.
Addressing a major press conference Wednesday, September, 28, the Congress for Democratic Change acknowledged other youths of their Coalition and joined the President and called on all relevant authorities to address this situation as soon as possible as it sees this impending situation as a signal of national emergency which must be treated with the utmost priority.
The Youth League National Secretary General, Emmanuel M. Johnson while reading a press statement recognized some exogenous shocks like the Russia-Ukrainian war and the impact of Covid-19 on prices, it would like to encourage relevant authorities to open the market and prioritize investment locally”, the youths emphasized.
Johnson said going local does not mean walling off the outside world, it means nurturing locally owned rice businesses that use local resources sustainably, employ local workers at decent wages and serve primarily local consumers. We must be able to feed ourselves. By this, we believe it means becoming more self-sufficient and less dependent on rice importation from India and China.
He furthered that the Youth League is concerned with the arbitrary hike in tuition and fees by administrators of Private High Schools around the country and see this action on the part of those involved as grossly insensitive and callous and called on the Ministry of Education to wake up from its slumber and do the needful to bring those schools to book.
“As a nation striving for a better future, we can’t downplay the role of educating the next generations of leaders because human capital development is the fundamental pillar on which every nation relies for sustainable growth and development”, Johnson stated while reading further.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary National Youth League with immediate effect dissolve the President’s 56th Birthday committee and commend everyone who has made contributions and can assure you that every fund collected by the Advisory Chair Mr. Garblah Vincent Williams will be duly accounted for.
The youths called on all partisans, well-wishers and sympathizers to join the Youth League and religious leaders on Friday, September 30, 2022, at various mosques in the country to offer prayers for our standard bearer and President of Liberia, and at various churches on Saturday, October 1, 2022, as a means of celebrating the 56th birthday of his H.E George M. Weah.
“Done and issued on this 28th Day of September AD 2022 by the mandate of the National Executive Committee of the Revolutionary National Youth League of the Mighty Congress for Democratic Change-CDC, the SG expressed.
The Revolunary National Youth League of the Coalition for Democratic Change said it appreciates H.E George M. Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia and Standard Bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change for his outstanding deliberation at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). They said the President Weah’s ‘splendid’ deliberation at the UNGA clearly outlined the enormous gains the country continues to make ranging from at-risk youth rehabilitation and empowerment to economic recovery, to action against climate change, Gender-based violence, flourishing democracy and the rule of law and good governance amongst others.
Amid the President’s sincere deliberation, they added that it is quite unfortunate that a “false prophet” in the Unity Party Chairman Luther Tarpeh will blind his eyes to the mammoth gains this government has made and choose to spew out innuendos. The youths said they believed that Luther Tarpeh as his deeds unfold was among the SEVEN DEMONS released by Satan and called on the Council of Churches to expel him if the Council of Churches wants to uphold its core values and integrity
On September 27, 2022 the government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism MICAT release, said the attention of the Ministry of Information has been drawn to a backpage story in the daily of a local newspaper in which the Chairman of the opposition Unity Party is quoted describing the speech made by President George M. Weah at the 77th UN General Assembly as “broad day deception”.
It can be recalled over the weekend opposition Unity Party (UP) National Chairman Rev. Luther Tarpeh, termed as broad day dry face deception to the highest degree President George Manneh Weah’s recent address to the United Nations (UN) 77th General Assembly that the country economy is healthy and strong.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen on Saturday, September 24, 2022, when his party with Standard Bearer Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai visited Ganta City, Nimba County, to participate in series of activities, including the induction ceremony of the Nimba Movement for the Election of Boakai (NIMEBO), Chairman Tarpeh disagreed and said that it was very shameful and saddening for President Weah to be speaking a dry- face deception at such international gathering.
“Listen to me, President Weah address to the United Nations was a big lies and deception that was done with dry face in the broad day. Where in Liberia is the economy working, healthy and strong when our there is no jobs for Liberians to work and even pay their children school fees. Where is the companies that this government had brought to provide jobs opportunities for Liberians before he spoke in said manner”, Tarpeh wondered?
Mr. Tarpeh asserted that the Coalition for Democracy Change (CDC) government is only working and improving in theory, but practically there is no positive affect on the lives of the Liberian people, saying President Weah address is on the contrary because poverty is still on the increase.
But, according to a MICAT release signed by Information Minister Ledgerhood J. Rennie and issued on September 27,2022, the Minister said the UP Chairman made the statement without offering any reasonable explanation or providing a logical counter argument, the prelate-turned politician simply said the President was telling “lies”.
“This runs contrary to all available data, which have been nationally and internationally validated, suggesting real improvements in areas highlighted by the Liberian leader, such as the economy, women empowerment, democracy and international peacekeeping.
“To unfairly and illogically describe these statements, that can be easily verified, as “lies” shows that the man chosen to lead a major political party is not only clueless about happenings in the country, but is also a political rockie”, the release further stated.
It added that Tarpeh’s latest faux pas is coming about a month after he told a boldface lie that his home was set ablaze by arsonists. A police and National Fire Service investigation showed that not only was his allegation untrue, but that he was fully aware of the actual cause of the fire.
As we go to elections next year, politicians ought to engage in conversations around the real issues that concern Liberians rather than presenting the public with fake news and misinformation that could potentially lead to violence, Minister Rennie cautioned.
