Realizing how critical it is to make progress in the midst of old- aged backwardness resulting to past errors, a Liberian, Tennie Kormazu Kparzarwalah Jallah based in the United States of America, has drawn the government’s attention to critical issues necessary to make a difference in the interest of the nation and its people at large.
According to research, specialized analysis, concrete, actionable and practical recommendations are some of the best ways to improve governance.
As the government strives to deliver necessary goods for the Liberian people, the need to streamline major sectors of government for effective and efficient public service delivery cannot be overemphasized.
Hence, having observed key sectors of the country been challenged, Jallah has elevated the debate in a drive to help improve domestic resource mobilization whilst limiting foreign borrowing.
Speaking from experience with tangible results, Mr. Jallah has encouraged Liberians to see as key, the production of what they eat.
According to him, If Liberia can effectively mobilize its domestic resources to adequately meet the needs as a people and improve its standards of living, it will attract other foreign nations in need to purchase goods and services which will then give value to its local currency.
“We consume and execute a cash-based budget – spending based on your income,” he re-emphasized, stating that you cannot use another man’s headlights to drive your car.
“No foreign money has ever developed any African nation,” he added.
Liberians, he indicated, have talents as such; it is time to invest in the country’s resources in those talents to benefit the people and meet their needs.
Proffering additional recommendations for the betterment of the country, Jallah called for a small, tight and very efficient cabinet that will invest 50% of the national resources in the private sector through Liberian businesses to create employment.
“This means, you will have to outsource almost every government economic activity to the private sector, a private sector; he re-emphasized will be empowered through guidelines setup by government ministers serving as regulators and attract the best Liberians both home and abroad to drive the full potential of a country of promise,” he noted.
He, at the same time, joined the campaign calling for more support and attention to Liberia’s tourism sector.
“Build our tourism and Liberian cultural entertainment sectors, this includes our movies industry, sports and music,” he said.
Moreover, Jallah encouraged Liberians to dress Liberia, eat Liberia and use their native intelligence to improve on the gains the ancestors made.
Reflecting on the past, he reminded President Boakai that his government should be the biggest patron of Liberian creativity and innovation.
“Government offices should be furnished with the best Liberian made furniture and our officials should wear LIBERIAN made materials / clothing”,” he further reechoed.
Placing some emphasis on the social justice front, Jallah also joined other critical voices re-emphasizing the need to relocate the nation’s capital city in a move to build a type of infrastructural development that will reflect the true indigenous Liberian civilization, which would showcase how the nation and people can improve on the forefathers’ native intelligence of identifying unique food, music and medicine.
“This new city will have our new university structure and research institutions that will seek to find solutions to our bugging problems,” he further said.
At the same time, Jallah has called for the strengthening of the rule of law by ensuring the judiciary implements the law without bias or favor.
This, he said, is very key to improving an effective governance system.
Highlighting some critical vices that have over the years impeded the growth process of the country, Jallah warned and discouraged nepotism, tribalism and sectionalism. Similarly, he encouraged an inclusive society of productive citizens, void of backgrounds of ethnicity or creed.
“Limit the demands for minority right; it has the propensities to lead to a polarized and uncontrolled society like what we are seeing with other countries around the world,” he added.
It is time, he pointed out, that those fundamental things that established the country be left in place void of introducing anything counter to them.
Enforcing Justice, he stressed is very significant to the sustainability of peace in the ountry.
“There can be no peaceful society without justice. To achieve this, encourage biometric identification and strengthen the security sector to adequately adjudicate crimes across the country,” he noted.
Jallah in a move to fight corruption and promote transparency and accountability challenged the current government to muster the courage to audit the Weah’s administration and every other post- war administration.
Speaking on good governance issues, he also renewed the debate, re-emphasizing the need to pursue the reduction of elected positions and tenures to demand accountability and productivity from public officials who hugely benefit from tax payers’ monies.
As previously highlighted in the referendum, he called for the tenure of the President to be reduced from six to four years, Senators from nine to six years and representatives from six to four years respectively.
He, at the same time, encouraged the election of city mayors, superintendents and the national election commissioners with specified tenures, stating that Liberia is a small country with small population as such; there is no need to keep people in power for a long time.