During the civil war, many Liberian youths became accustomed to flamboyant lifestyles, indulging in whims including alcohol and narcotic drugs. Consumer’s goods were available to those who had weapons and were ready to act violently. Today, most social activities require money. Young men without jobs resort to crime to fund not only pleasures but the basic needs of survival.
Despite most of the young people’s involvement in criminal activities, a son of Montserrado County electoral district #8 Alvin T. Pennue has blamed Liberians for always inciting the young people, especially the less privileged commonly known as “Zogos” to steal.
According to Mr. Pennue, most Liberians are always in the constant habit of influencing the young people to go about and steal and in return buy the stealing materials from them. Mr. Pennue spoke on a local radio in Monrovia upon his arrival from the United States of America.
“You people are very aware that those young guys do not have a manufacturing company, but you are always influencing them to go and steal. When they bring those stealing materials, you people buy it from them. This is very sad for our society” Mr. Pennue added.
Mr. Pennue wonders why Liberians will continue to influence young people who are considered disadvantage to go and steal and in return purchase it from them in the name of “black deed”
Though Mr. Pennue failed to name specific Liberians who are always influencing the disadvantaged youths to go and steal, he added district #8 Montserrado County is one of the at-risk districts in the country.
“The best we can do for those people is to empower them by educating them to be independent. I feel very frustrated when those guys continue to roam the streets and steal other people’s properties daily.
Mr. Pennue blamed the current district`s representative Hon. Acarous Moses Gray for his failure in getting the young people from the street as the criminal activities continue to escalate in the district.
“Like I said, the best we can do is to invest and empower those less privileged guys in our communities. Dishing out money to them will not help. This is why, Alvin T. Pennue Movement for Helping Hands in district 8 continues to send some of them to school and give them opportunities.
Mr. Pennue maintained that the growth of Liberia depends on Liberians themselves when they try to change their mindset. He said for too long people continue to use young people especially those considered disadvantaged youths to get involved with too many negative things which has the propensity to make the society unsafe.
“Those young people do not jump in the street by themselves to go about harassing people and taking away things that are not theirs, people somewhere are responsible. You send them to go and steal. This is so terrible for our society.
The Montserrado County district #8 representative hopeful said as a means of getting disadvantaged youths off the street, he has begun initiating programs (vocational and business) through his Alvin T. Pennue Movement for Helping Hands.
