President George M. Weah’s county tour, which began last year, has resumed in Montserrado County, with district #15 giving him a key to control the district come 2023 general election; write Ojuku Silver-tongue Kangar, Jr.
The county tour is a program designed by the government that qualifies a sitting President to interact with the citizens nationwide to abreast them about the successes and challenges of the administration and what they should expect from the administration.
President Weah’s first county was interrupted by the inimical Covid-19 pandemic, which left negative impact on almost every part of the world.
The tour resumed on Monday, August 15, 2022, with districts 15, 16 and 17. In Logan Town, district #15, youth, women grouping, market women, elders and others thanked the President for declaring free tuition at all public universities nationwide, paying WASSCE fees, constructing roads, etc. The appreciative citizens expressed the establishment of vocational schools, youth empowerment and so on.
In a thankful statement, Representative Abu B. Kamara joyfully lauded the President for enabling him to become a Representative. “Mr. President, it is through your influence l am representing the district and its people. The people you entrusted me with have told me to tell you ‘thank you’ and to request for a way forward,” Representative Kamara said. “This is the district’s key you gave me and l am turning it over to you.”
According to him, the ‘key’ is a symbol of the President possessing the district -at present and 2023.
However, Representative Kamara disclosed that the district is challenged and needs the President’s intervention in terms of having its own administrative building, recreational center and palava hut.
With smile, President Weah thanked the cheerful citizens for electing him, and said it is based on their mandate he is acting: constructing roads, providing free tuition, paying WAEC fees, and so on.
“I am grateful to you for making me your President. Abu, l gave you the key and you’re giving it back to me. But remind me to leave it here before l carry it,” President Weah said in a comical manner.
At New Kru Town Hall, district #16, the citizens continued with the same itinerary—thanking the President for his development initiatives nationwide, especially in the Borough of New Kru Town, but requested for empowerment, and so on.
A women’s representative, whose speech mesmerized the audience and the President, requested that Redemption Hospital maintains its name and the one underway in Caldwell gets a different nomenclature.
“Your request is well taken. Redemption Hospital here will be ‘A’ and the one under construction in Caldwell will be called Redemption Hospital ‘B’,” President addressed the old lady request.
As it relates to the proliferation of street thugs and ghettoes nationwide, the citizens appealed for the decentralization of the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC), and that more government schools be constructed to curtail the influx of street thugs.
Appreciating the President’s visit, Representative Dixon Sebo of district #16 outlined several projects the President has underwritten, and presented the district to him, assuring him of delivering it to him come 2023.
In New Kru Town, President Weah dedicated a newly constructed police station, named in honor of Richard Toby, Governor-emeritus of the Borough.
Everywhere was occupied with citizens who displayed banners bearing the President’s photos, with captions, “We Love You”, “Our Leader”, “Bad Road Medicine”, and so on.
In district #17, residents of Brewerville welcomed the President as was done in other districts.
In a town hall meeting, a representative of the blind appealed to the President to upgrade the only school for the blind on Robertsfield Highway. Likewise, a prominent citizen urged every Liberian to elect President Weah in the first round and avoid second round, which he noted is expensive.
The citizens repeated what the previous ones said in district #15 and #16. However, President Weah appealed to the electorate’s conscience to try him the second time by voting for him.