President George Manneh Weah’s flagship development program, the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, appears to be adding new feathers and dimensions—all geared towards complementing where the formal, normally budgetized version leaves gaps. The national budget process, upon which the PAPD rests, is cumbersome and often stumbles into political inertia, something that burns the heart of a humanitarian president who wants to respond almost instantly to the burning problems of the impoverished majority of Liberians. So, why the politicians are debating the national budget in light of complicated political interests here and there, the President’s office is looking out of the box finding ways by which to respond to the suffering people across the country. Thus, this gives rise to Special President Projects that prioritizes rural public school students and rural women and girls. Millions of Liberian Dollars already spent to get more students in school and marketers into business in Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties, the driver of the Special Presidential Projects, State for Presidential Affairs Minister McGill F. McGill, over the weekend stormed the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. As The Analyst reports, the McGill visit has left tens of thousands of students and marketers unreserved ululation, smiles and celebration.
The last few months of 2021 have been happy time for young people and market women in the central and Northern provinces of Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties as the Chief of Office Staff of the President of Liberia drops humanitarian packages targeting suffering students and their parents.
While on his first tour to the countryside, President George Manneh Weah encountered rural Liberians firsthand and played audience to their burning problems. Much of those problems centered on the lack of money on the part of parents to keep their children in school and for women to get engaged with business activities, however petit.
Back in Monrovia, the President became seared not only by the mountains of painful social and economic continues rural Liberians face but also by his conscience to make good assurances he had provided the highly expectant people.
Official government revenue streams being paltry, and the national budget process fraught to political machinations, the President and his advisors resolved to find alternative ways to respond to some of the problems put before him by the people.
Hardly did the county tours end then President Weah’s team became frequenting the countryside to deliver on his promises—basically financial aid to students and start-up grants to marketers.
Nathaniel F. McGill, State for Presidential Affairs Minister, made multiple trips to Central and Northern Liberia to dish out cash largess that would be used to reduce school dropout amongst poor students and keep students, mainly girls, in school.
Already, the Minister has spent nearly L$100 million in cash to defray activities fees and tuition for students, both private and public school students, and for market women to start a business for sustainability.
Last weekend, December 3, 2021, Minister McGill was in the port city of Buchanan to extend the President’s humanitarian aid to thousands of needy rural Liberians—students and market women and girls.
The McGill visit was greeted thunderously and the ordinary rural people flooded streets and communities to give and his entourage a deserving welcome.
Swarms of students, youth, women and traditional people lined up from St. John River end of the city and escorted Minister McGill to the Buchanan city center of Fair Ground, which was the venue of the program.
Minister McGill to the celebrating local populace that the scholarship scheme was initiated by President Weah to support the increment in student enrolment in the country and keep many market women in business.
“The President wants to help you, our students. He is not only concerned about creating a conducive learning environment for both privileged and unprivileged youth but to keep you in school,” he said, adding that the President is aware of the hardship many parents face in getting their children to school.
He set up a special account to be managed by local government and school authorities for students of Grand Bassa County.
According to a report, the funds being distributed for students and marketers are a composite of contributions from friendly businesses and personalities who share the President’s vision.
Minister McGill announced sources of some of the contributions, stating that Sethi Brothers Inc provided USD75, 000; Jeety Trading Corporation, L$11, 250, 000; Gboni Petroleum, L$45 million; Winners (betting game), USD300, 000; Friends of Nathaniel McGill, USD 50,000, amongst many other donations from companies and businesses operating in Grand Bassa County. He used the Buchanan visit to also extend a helping hand to the women of the county for are in business and want to start a business, providing L$5 million of $10 million he intends to give out to the women.
Minister McGill said the scholarship will benefit, mostly, all public schools in Buchanan city and its surrounding areas for the next academic year.
According to him, the scholarship program, which is similarly benefiting students in upper and lower Bong, Kakata, Margibi County and Ganta, Nimba County, geared towards increasing enrollment in schools.
Minister McGill said the money, which will be given as loan, is intended to enhance their businesses and improve their livelihood.
At the same time, students and officials of Grand Bassa County have lauded the launch of President Weah’s scholarship in the County, stating that enrollment in schools is expected to increase significantly in the County due to the launch of the scholarship.
Grand Bassa County Superintendent, Janjay Baikpeh said the students are overwhelmed by the provision of the scholarship that will ease the constraints of going to school.
Representative Joe also lauded citizens of Buchanan for turning out in their numbers to welcome Minister McGill.
The joyous citizens and their local leaders lavished praises and adoration upon the Minister and his boss, President Weah, for factoring the youth and women of Grand Bassa County into his relieving economic programs.
Representative Mathew Joe as amongst the leaders of the county present at the occasion at which Miniter McGill announced the financial support to the locals.
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