MONROVIA – For cool-hearted people or groups anywhere, celebrating an anniversary is not just about dining and wining. They take it for sober reflection, critical reassessment of process and strategy for what is good to be done going forward. As one of Liberia’s backward provinces marks 25 years of existence, citizens are basking in the ecstasy of ululation, but some are thinking what can be done so that the county be pulled from the abyss of neglect and squalor where it has wallowed for this while. One of such citizens of the country is a Liberian journalist and writer, Jacob Parley, who shares his perspective on River Gee’s efforts for growth and development. The Analyst reports.
As River Gee County hits 25 years of existence since its birth in 2000, a prominent son of the County has proffered a number of recommendations, which, in his honest opinion will help in keeping alive the fundamental principles for which the county was created.
Liberian journalist Jacob N.B. Parley strongly believes that one of such values for River Gee’s creation through legislative enactment was for the county to have a united and well-coordinated voice in addressing issues affecting its citizens.
According Mr. Parley, the lack of feedback from back home through direct and indirect discussions with some River Gee citizens here and out of Liberia contributes to what appears to be a decline in the euphoria the county’s creation.
Parley, who according to sources is seen on commercial vehicles evangelizing for Jesus Christ, said River Gee citizens are concerned about their county growing in age, but not making the needed progress in terms of development and unity owing to several reasons.
They said twenty-five years down the road, hundreds of their children are still involved in illicit mining instead of being in school while majority of them (citizens) lack the capacity for economic sustenance owing to the absence of jobs and other opportunities.
Evangelist Parley noted that the citizens who sounded angry outlined some of the factors affecting the County’s growth and development as disunity, egocentrism, unbridled lust for political power among some current and former political leaders of the County.
He said another situation the citizens see as a cancerous political weapon that continues to destroy River Gee County since its creation in 2000 is the failure of past and present lawmakers to muster the political will for competent sons and daughters of the County to have a taste of the national cake.
“Some of our citizens are saying they have been following the appointments by the Presidency from one regime to the other and they see and hear the names of people from the other counties, but they hardly see River citizens on these lists,” he added.
Mr. Parley noted that looking at Liberia’s geopolitical dynamics, no Liberian President, including President Boakai will walk from community to community or from place to place looking for people to give jobs,” Mr. Parley added.
The experienced Liberian broadcast and print journalist indicated that from what he has been following, some of the appointments are made through party affiliations, personal connections, recommendations through the various legislative caucuses in the context of the existing coordination and collaboration between the Executive and Legislative branches.
Mr. Parley urged the River Gee Legislative Caucus to begin acting upon some of the issues being raised by the citizens whose patience appears to be running out.
Among the issues is for the River Gee Legislative Caucus to begin exerting the same political will and influence other legislative caucuses are using for their citizens to be appointed by the President.
He however pointed out that the way forward is not for members of the River Gee Legislative Caucus to harass, fight the President or stand in the way of his development agenda, but continued constructive engagement.
Mr. Parley, a former member of the River Gee for County Publicity Committee said some of these things are creating the feelings among the citizens that members of the River Gee Legislative Caucus are complacent once they are elected and have no interest in improving the lives of their people, except when elections are around.
He said development and empowerment through job opportunities, whether through appointment in government or the private sector (companies) were at the top of the struggle for establishing the County.
He noted that from a practical perspective, development may not take place when the people are jobless and lack the requisite skills through which an honest living is earned.
Backing his argument about development and job opportunities being at the top of River Gee’s creation, he said between 1983 & 1984, then Liberian President Samuel Kanyan Doe called a development meeting of Grand Gedeans at the Zwedru City Park. The veteran Liberian journalist said while it is true that he did not attend the meeting apparently because of his status (teenager), the gathering was overwhelmed with then Lower Grand Gedeans, now River Gee citizens complaining about not being appointed by President Doe and that development was not reaching them despite their immense contributions through pay cuts/taxes. Parley said his fallen uncle who attended the meeting told him that President Doe, on the issue of appointment in government raised a very strong argument by saying that he did not know all the qualified people from then Lower Grand Gedeh.
“My people, those from Lower Grand Gedeh that are closer to me and are blessed to be in big positions should be able to recommend to me then I will look at the list and do something about it,” the fallen Liberian leader is said to have told the attendees, amid applause from across the floor.
On the basis of this development, Mr. Parley said between 2009 and 2010, when Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was President, he released a strongly-worded statement in which he called on River Gee citizens, mainly the youth not to blame President Sirleaf, when there were increasing allegations of River Gee citizens not being appointed by her.
“I am once more using this medium to call on River Gee citizens far and near not to turn the radar on President Joseph Boakai if we are still thinking the same way we thought yesterday about political appointments,” he observed.
Mr. Parley who worked at the Liberia Broadcasting System for more than twenty years before resigning in early 2019, is on records for always speaking his mind about issues affecting River Gee County.
It can be recalled that ahead of the 2023 General and Presidential Election, he issued a toughly-articulated statement, warning River Gee citizens against electing or re-electing selfish, unproductive and vindictive politicians at the National Legislature. He said doing so would have meant signing contract with poverty. At another time he called for urgent action against increasing reports of illicit mining in River Gee County, support to local journalists to enhance their performance, etc.
Mr. Parley has reiterated his call for an elaborate program to be held in commemoration of the County’s creation, where recognition will be accorded sons and daughters of the area, both alive and deceased for their instrumental roles in creating the County and the peace Liberians currently enjoy.
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