Liberia’s President Weah lashes out at former Vice President

President George M. Weah addressing wide range of national issues confronting the country on Friday, December 20, 2019 tongue-lashed former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai pointing out that his time (political relevance)is gone; and inciting people to oust his government is no need because he had 12 years and messed up things that “we are catching hell and tough time to fix.”

Weah who said that he respects older people, however, robustly told Boakai to behave because it is foolhardy to hear him (Boakai) saying that he is being wicked, when he (Weah) has done so much for Boakai including playing a significant role in the burial of his mother-in-law coupled with the pivotal role played in saving his (Boakai’s) life when he was sick with heart problem; then who is considered wicked, he wondered.

But Boakai, not leaving it on a silent note charged back vehemently by saying because of the noise from a mosquito will not warrant him to break down his house; meaning because of the kind of person he is, he can’t continue such war of words with him (Weah) which Boakai attributed to the manner and form Weah handles issues based on his upbringing.

At the same time, the youth congress of the Unity Party (UP) has condemned the expression of President Weah against former Vice President Boakai and noted that the President’s manner has stepped him up and marketed his ignorance.

The youth congress told JOY FM phone-in talk show Monday, December 23, 2019 in Monrovia that it was the very Boakai who commended the government for its high level of maturity demonstrated by providing the protesters of June 7 with security and also extolled the protesters for exercising the highest sense of discipline and being law abiding by upholding and respecting the peace, security and stability of which the same done June 7, should be maintained during the pending protest of December 30.

On the issue of the establishment of a war crime court, the Liberian leader strongly questioned why now? Instead and with the usual unchanged mood of reluctance, President Weah noted that we must adopt the South African Style wherein the perpetrators and the victims can sit down and confront each other and find an amicable solution rather than established a war crime court.

According to him the South African style will ensure that the people must not get angry with impunity because we are not a vicious people.

Denying ever having his image engraved on the expected new money to be printed, the Chief Executive maintained that the matter of what will appear on the money will be discussed from where the decision will be made whether it is his image or not, is up to those who will make the decision.

Touching on presidential election 2023, the incumbent vowed to run again and will defeat all the political flunkies some of whom could not get 500 votes, and he is more certain that the people will surely vote for him as was done in the 2017.

On reshuffle, Weah, while not attaching any time frame said it could be any time, but was quick to portray the format and formula used on the soccer pitch which clearly suggests that instead of robust, it will be recycling of government officials despite a promising bench.

Speaking in an interview from the Executive Studio, President Weah showered praises on his financial management team for doing a fantastic job and extolled Finance Minister Samuel Toweh for excellent performance; despite the bleak and still looming usage of the L$16 billion and the US$25 million mop-up saga.

According to him, while it is true that things are difficult in the country, but not deplorable, and amidst total and persistent echo of inheriting a broke economy and a broke country as opposed to his predecessor’s consistent indication that instead of not leaving the state coffers broke, rather insisted that she left US$150 plus in the latter; predicated upon his failure to conduct a comprehensive audit of the previous regime backed by popular demand which he intentionally reneged on, the President has finally conceded that his administration met US$7 million in the coffers, something pundits scored as too belated and far from scientific evidence.

 

Source: allafrica.com