Rep. Edwin Snowe Sermonizes Patriotism -Wants Liberians Demonstrate Love for Country amid Challenges

No doubt, Liberia is going through one of its worst, if not the worst, economic times, occasioned particularly by spiraled loss of value of its currency, inflation, donor fatigue and slow recovery and austerity measures. With rising public consciousness, the situation is prone to attract social upheaval, which has already shown face in sporadic street demonstrations and vulgar media showdowns. If nothing is done to manage expectations and appeal to patriotic emotions, things could go awry. It is perhaps in realization of this that Bomi County Representative Edwin Snowe and head of Liberian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament is calling for restraint and patriotism by Liberians. The Analyst reports.

In the midst of the economic hardship confronting Liberia and its people, as a result of the rapid depreciation of the Liberian dollar against the United States dollar, Bomi County, District #1 Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, Jr. says patriotism is the way forward in tackling national development and is calling for the involvement of every Liberian in solving the problem.

The situation has led to the continuous increase in prices of commodities on the Liberian market which has led to a public outcry.

Representative Snowe, a stalwart of the opposition Unity Party noted that in these tough times, it is prudent for leaders to put away partisanship and exercise some level of patriotism in addressing the situation.

Speaking to journalists Wednesday, September 18, 2019, in Monrovia, the Bomi County Lawmaker underscored the importance for Liberians to put their country first by supporting the current leadership headed by President George Manneh Weah.

“I can say to you that as a ranking member of the opposition block, Liberia is what matters; in spite of our political believe.

Therefore, we must all rally around President Weah to ensure that this country moves forward,” he admonished.

“If this government fails, Edwin Snowe fails, Unity Party fails, CDC fails, Liberty Party fails, and Liberia fails. If it succeeds, we all succeed,” Snowe told a group of Legislative reporters at the newly constructed Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, outside of Monrovia.

Retrospectively, Honorable Snowe, following his appointment to replace former Foreign Affairs Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, as National Campaign Chairman in October, 2017,  held the believe that a George Weah’s Presidency would have caused difficult moments for Liberians.

In his political rhetoric in 2017, Campaign Chairman Snowe expressed empathy for the collective blame heaped on former Vice President Joseph Boakai for the failure of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf-led government.

Speaking on the Truth Breakfast Show during the 2017 Runoff Election, Mr. Snowe said: “His Administration will be like a bomb waiting to explode at any moment and if it explodes there will be more crises in the country than stability.”

At present, the former Boakai Campaign Chair has become a strong supporter of the Weah Presidency, alluding to the fact that President Weah is not the problem for Liberia but the lack of patriotism and nationalism has led the country into the current economic struggle.

Representative Snowe, who argued in 2017, that Boakai would have been better than Weah in public life, experience and maturity and that there was no reason for people to hold him (Boakai) responsible for the failure of the UP regime headed by former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, lamented that his dream had never been to see his mother land perishing, as such, Liberians should follow his path in the fight for national unity and reconciliation, void of self-interest.

Giving reasons why he did not support President Weah in 2017, he said the Liberian Leader is his friend, whom he supported in the Senatorial Bye-Election in 2014, but informed the Liberian electorate at the time that he was not prepared to support Weah for the presidency but now has seen the potential in him which needs the collective effort of every Liberian to get the country moving forward.

“I believe Weah was still going through a learning process at the Liberian Senate and I advised him to remain Senator of Montserrado so that he could learn and be able to serve as president at the appropriate time. But since his presidency, he has exhibited some level of leadership ability, for which he needs to be given the support to move the nation forward,” Snowe noted.

Finally, he called on President Weah to strengthen the information arm of government to furnish the general public with the requisite information on national issues and urged Liberians to see patriotism as the hallmark in fostering national growth and development.