“The city is dirty. Every time I drive through, the level of neglect is obvious…”
Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has classified Monrovia as a “very dirty city without proper management.”
“The city is dirty. Every time I drive through, the level of neglect is obvious. Posters are plastered everywhere, yet little is being done to keep the city clean or make it beautiful.”
Madam Sirleaf delivered a blunt assessment of sanitation conditions in Monrovia.
She declared that the capital and its surrounding communities are increasingly overwhelmed by “filth and neglect.”
Madam Sirleaf made the statement when she appeared on state radio. She criticized a “visible breakdown in city management,” but warned that the current state of the capital reflects poorly on “national leadership and urban governance.”
“The city is dirty; every time I drive through, the level of neglect is obvious. Posters are plastered everywhere, yet little is being done to keep the city clean or make it beautiful.”
Madam Sirleaf said, while pointing to widespread disorder and lack of enforcement.
She challenged authorities responsible for managing the city to do more.
She said, weak coordination among municipal institutions has contributed significantly to the worsening sanitation crisis.
Madam Sirleaf also called on residents to take responsibility for their surroundings, noting that civic duty remains a critical part of maintaining a clean environment.
As a former president, Madam Sirleaf remarks, however, suggested that public cooperation alone cannot solve the problem without government’s firm action.
Following her statement, many Liberians voiced agreement. They also cited deteriorating conditions across major commercial hubs.
Areas such as Red Light, Waterside, and Center Street, were highlighted as among the worst affected by poor waste management.
A resident of Center Street, Janet Flomo, told journalists that the situation has become deeply embarrassing for the community, with piles of garbage and uncollected waste affecting business activities.
Other key locations, including Duala Market, are also facing similar challenges, raising concerns about public health risks, and the long-term impact on the image of the city as frustrations grow over “continued inaction by those in charge.”
“I Don’t Think Someone Should Be Expelled Because Of Freedom Of Speech”
In another development, Madam Sirleaf voiced out her disagreement with lawmakers who a fortnight ago, expelled Yekeh Y. Kolubah from the legislature.
“…I don’t think this is the way to go. I don’t think someone should be expelled because of freedom of speech. I signed the independence of freedom of speech. I don’t think someone should be overly disturbed when people say things. I certainly do not think it should be a reason for someone to bear such penalty. There are other ways to curb that. Freedom of speech is something that we must respect. That’s what makes good governance,” ex-President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
On the issue of corruption, she meanwhile, called on government to fight it head-on in spite of status of anyone connected.
“It is time to address this corruption issue in a serious way. It is not getting better. We thought we had put a curb on corruption by establishing integrity institutions. The leadership must seriously address it. The world is changing. The requirements for development are moving into different directions. There’s a decline in partnership and bilateral support. It is time to change.”
Relative to project implementations, she added: “Most of the projects that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is carrying on were initiated by my administration. It doesn’t matter who initiated them. These are national projects belonging to Liberia, not to any political party or individual. The records are there. We know where all these projects started from and who made the effort for these projects to be properly funded. We started them, but they were delayed.”