Liberia’s Finance, Development and Planning Minister (MFDP) Samuel D. Tweah has said the Liberian and government and people cannot afford to falter in its aspiration to lifting less fortunate Liberians out of poverty. Presenting an overview at the official launch of the Government’s recently inaugurated Pro-Poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity (PADP) in the northeastern commercial city of Ganta, Nimba County, Minister Tweah classified the highly sensitive document as an instrument which embodies all of what the Liberian government and people have aspired for over the last two decades, The Analyst’s Varney Kamara reports.
Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah has expressed a positive outlook about the implementation of the CDC (Coalition for Democratic Change) led government highly publicized pro-poor agenda, an instrument that tends to break the impasse of poverty into economic prosperity and viability for less fortunate Liberians, noting that: This Pro-Poor agenda policy was prepared by Liberians and is there for all Liberians. It’s about all that we have argued about and demanded all these years hence, let’s own it together. Liberia will not fail. We cannot afford to fail.”
Minister Tweah, one of the government’s chief architects of the PADP policy framework, announced that the document would lift more than one million Liberians out of poverty and will also affect various communities and livelihoods throughout its implementation stages.
The highly outspoken Finance Minister also underscored private sector investment as one of the most important aspects of the implementation of the PADP.
“For those who have asked what the Pro-Poor agenda means, we want to let you know that this policy framework is for all Liberians and it stands to benefit all Liberians. It’s a document that tends to protect the vulnerable and less fortunate Liberians. It’s an instrument which seeks to create a middle class economy and lift our people out of poverty,” Minister Tweah said.
With the adoption and official inauguration of the document, he said Liberian will be radically different in the coming years, especially with the full effectuation of the document, noting, “Liberia will be radically different country.” There can be no way jobs would be provided in the country without roads and electricity, and this policy document aims to address these existing challenges facing our country today.”
“The PADP aims to move Liberia to micro economic development” Minister Tweah asserted. Also a way addressing the country’s current economic meltdown, he suggested that the Liberian government must design a strategy that would ensure more foreign exchange is kept in the banks in the country.”
“The exemptions and duty waivers have hurt the country,” the Finance Minister warned, vowing that: “This is pro-poor agenda will work, this country shall not fail. We’ll succeed, and this country will prosper.
Also speaking at the PADP launch, several representatives of Liberia’s development partners spoke positive of the PADP policy. The UN, USAID, AFDB, European Union (EU), and the Government of the United States of America (GOA) projected positive image of the document. UN representative to Liberia described the pro-poor agenda framework as one of the best the country has ever produced. Moving forward, the UN envoy said the instrument would address the critical needs of the country, including attending to its wooing economy.
“Liberia is a blessed country because driving on way from Monrovia to Ganta, I saw everything green. This shows that you have a huge potential to becoming one of the best countries in Africa. The natural resources are here, and you have plenty of space to improve this country and become very great,” the UN Envoy said.
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