Liberia’s October, 2023 legislative and presidential is in a little over 63 days, and in this period, interested politicians are knocking the doors of Liberians with different messages or what one may describe as assurances, to be entrusted with the first citizenship of the country.
Especially as the National Elections Commission (NEC) over the weekend announced the commencement of the campaign process, the different candidates are proffering their apt ideologies and plans for the country and its people.
But amongst the tens that are to participate in the presidential election, and excluding the incumbent, a lot of Liberians are predicting a possible victory for either the former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, Joseph Nyuma Boakai of the Unity Party, and experienced ex executive in the private sector, Alexander B. Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
Considering their separate platforms, the Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Jeremiah Koung Joe-Jerry is seeking the presidency with a 5-Pillar Plan and 5-Area Agenda to rebuild Liberia.
Concisely, it considers Microeconomic Stability and Infrastructural Development, with 10 thematic areas. The UP says it is committed to improving Economic and Financial Governance to Spur Economic Growth and Development.
The second pillar considers Health, WASH, The Environment, and Climate Change, and it contains 5 thematic areas. This is also engulfed with their desire to promote Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Development to Support Wealth Creation.
The third pillar of the UP agenda focuses on Human Capacity Development, with 3 thematic areas. This is enraged around promoting sustainable Job Creation and Ensure Job Security for the Employed.
Pillar four of the UP Boakai agenda dwells on Governance and Rule of Law, and it has 10 thematic areas. This also considers Improving Commerce and Industry to Support Indigenous Wealth Creation
In the fifth position, the former ruling party’s plans do LIberia considers Gender, Youth, Children, and Social Protection, and it has 5 thematic areas. This is also biased by their interest in developing Road & Bridge Infrastructures to Support Actors’ Participation in Economic Activities.
The Rescue Team says it is prepared and experienced to serve Liberians and under its 5-Pillar Plan and 5-Area, it considers Developing Road & Bridge Infrastructures to Support Actors’ Participation in Economic Activities.
More to this, is their interest in Developing Transportation Networks and Air and Sea Ports. The former ruling party through Mr. Boakai says it is willing if elected to Improve Nationwide Access to Information Communication Technology.
Eighth of the 5-Pillar Plan and 5-Area is Prioritizing Energy Sector Development to Drive Economic Activities.
More to this, is the ninth area that focuses on Improving Mineral and Natural Resource Management, and the tenth area considers Promoting Culture and Tourism to Support Job Creation and Income Generation.
Under Pillar 2: Health, WASH, The Environment, and Climate Change, the former Vice President is in the race with an assurance to Liberians that he will straighten Healthcare Delivery System, Mental Healthcare Service, Water and Sanitation Service Provision, Development of a Healthy Environment, and Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives.
Under Pillar 3: Human Capacity Development, he has committed himself to Strengthening National Education System to Improve Education Outcome, ensuring Diversify and Promote Technical and Vocational Education Training, Improving Educational Systems Management and Governance.
With regards to Governance and Rule of Law, the former Vice President has committed himself to Strengthening National Security to Ensure Access to Security and Safety for all Residents.
This commitment also considers the Improving the Rule of Law and Ensure Access to Justice for all Residents, Strengthen Integrity Institutions and Ensure Accountability in Public Service, Prioritize Public Sector Development, and Strengthen Election Governance to Ensure Transparency and Integrity in the Electoral Process.
The Boakai-Koung’s plan also highlights Enhancing Democratic Processes and Guarantee Human Rights, Promoting Peace and National Reconciliation to Create and Maintain a Harmonious Society, National Decentralization Process for Equitable Development, Engagement with the National Legislature with a Clearly Defined Legislative Agenda to Secure the Interest of our People, and Improving Foreign Relations and Strengthen Global Engagement.
Like Mr. Boakai, the Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) Mr. Alexander B. Cummings also has an intrinsic plans to transform the lives of Liberians.
Mr. Cummings has guaranteed that the CPP will ensure quality and affordable education, and work towards providing free public education. Our primary focus will be on youth and adult education, especially vocational training to put Liberian’s first in line for new jobs.
The Collaborating Political Parties CPP’s short-term focus will provide access to free, quality national primary education, as well as a streamlined vocational educational system aligned with current private sector needs.
It considers construction, information technology, services, tourism, and manufacturing. Long term, we will reform higher education in Liberia by focusing on teachers’ training, innovate in education delivery and strengthen a Liberia’s network of colleges and universities.
“We will apologize to no one for enabling and prioritizing Liberian success at home. This will include from business to sports, music, movie and other forms of arts. If you have the dream and the drive, the Cummings-Brumskine-led government will help you thrive,” Cummings assures.
Mr. Cummings has been persistent in championing the establishment of a special anti-corruption court and enforcement mechanisms to hold corrupt officials accountable. By tackling corruption and ending wasteful spending, the campaign believes that Liberia will realize a more efficient and effective government. “We must end the mismanagement of our natural resources”, he repeats often.
Cummings’ CPP government is also aiming to institute the requisite political and governmental reforms with the goal of making all Liberians, including members of opposing political parties, genuine stakeholders in national governance.
Additionally, the party plans on Implementing the necessary reforms returns power to the people so that they have a direct say in choosing their local leaders, building institutions, including a reformed judicial system that fosters transparency and mitigates against corruption and supports the rule of law.
Cummings says his administration and its officials will be held to account and will leverage innovative technologies that automate some government processes, creating efficiency, transparency and cutting waste. By tackling corruption and ending wasteful spending, a Cummings-led government hopes that Liberia will realize a more efficient and effective government – one that works for all Liberians.
Consistent with his desire to subdue corruption, the CPP is aiming to create a special anti-corruption court, support and appropriately resource existing judicial institutions; and establish the enforcement mechanisms to hold corrupt officials accountable. The CPP under Cummings also aims to identify the positions where individuals are most likely to engage in corruption and publicize them so that identifying corruption is a public engagement.
Additionally, a Cummings-led government will also ensure that there is a balanced distribution of government spending, especially in terms of officials’ compensation and will push to reduce the compensation and benefits received by high-level government officials and increase those of lower-level officials and civil servants.
The Cummings-led government is looking to prioritize transparency and accountability through strengthening existing integrity institutions, setting high standards for accountability, including at the presidency, and balancing distribution of government spending such as reducing compensation & benefits of high-level government officials and increasing those of civil servants, including police, teachers, nurses, and others. Priority will be placed on eliminating wasteful spending.
The ABC-CPP-led government is also promising to establish independence of controlling, procuring, and auditing functions within government agencies and reform the judiciary system to ensure the efficient and effective administration of justice and to protect the rights of every Liberian. The Cummings agenda also plans on utilizing technology to automate government processes.
On foreign policy and security, the Cummings-led CPP is pledging to sustain the peace and ensure that the security of the Liberian people is the top priority.
Mr. Cummings’ CPP is vowing to commit itself to modernizing security forces, improving relations with our West African neighbors, and expanding our economic and diplomatic relationships across the world.
The CPP will look to move Liberia away from a dependence on foreign aid and toward self-sufficiency. Liberia’s development partners can now serve as sources of foreign direct investment, as our relationships can evolve from aid to trade.
“While Liberia will welcome support and assistance from international partners and friends, we will be respected in the comity of nations beginning with our desires to do for ourselves what we can and must do for ourselves.”
The party believes that the first step in keeping the peace in Liberia is economic development and job creation with emphasis on the unemployed, underemployed, and unemployable youth which represents a simmering threat to the consolidated peace and stability Liberia has enjoyed over the last 18 years. Thus, employment under the CPP-led government will be a matter of national security.
Priority, under a Cummings-led government, will also be centered on free health care for children up to 6 years old and elders 65 years and over with focus on primary and preventative health care and increased access to healthcare facilities by constructing new health clinics throughout the country.
With regards to Education, the Cummings-led CPP agenda will focus on three pillars: vocational training to address the demand for relevant skills in revenue generating industries for Liberia; teacher training as means of properly equipping our teachers to deliver 21st century education to 21st century youth; and adult education to increase access to opportunities for those who were left behind by the absence of education delivery by this administration.
