-VP Taylor says, urges Liberians to vote Pres. Weah based on his tangibles.
By: Jerromie S. Walters
According to the World Bank Macro Poverty Outlook for Liberia, April 2023, Liberia’s economy grew by 4.8 percent in 2022, following a strong rebound in 2021.
It was made known that Growth is expected to slow to 4.3 percent in 2023, reflecting global slowdown and uncertainties surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the 2023 elections.
In what that appears to have been prompted by this report, Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, during an exclusive interview on state radio (Liberia Broadcasting System), disclosed that this administration has lifted Liberians out of poverty, amid claims critics’ views that the lives of Liberians are worse than it was five years ago.
In the 2022 Global Hunger Index, Liberia ranks 113th out of the 121 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2022 Global Hunger Index GHI scores. With a score of 32.4, the report says Liberia has a level of hunger that is serious. In 2021, the country was at 111, out of 121.
The Vice President disclosure was made, following a concern about the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda promise, to lift 1million Liberians out of poverty, in its first six years.
According to the Vice President, they have gone beyond their promise to lift 1million Liberians out of poverty. “We have lifted people out of poverty,” she said.
“We are now living a little bit more,” she said, and further noted that lifting people out of poverty is not about giving out money individually. “We have reduced poverty significantly.”
This, somehow concur with the World Bank Macro Poverty Outlook for Liberia 2023. It also provides that the medium-term macroeconomic outlook nonetheless remains positive, while poverty rate is expected to decline moderately reaching 33.8 percent by 2025.
In terms of investment, she said more has been done and the government is working towards more.
With regards to their efforts towards drug, she hailed the President and the legislature for the passage and signing of the non-billable drug law, as she sees it as a major issue.
According to her, they have done a lot in combating drugs, but accordingly, she said it’s a society issue that can’t be politicized. “We are doing something about this.”
At the same time, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, encouraged Liberians to see the records of President, vote him based on his tangibles. This, she believes will enable them to do more in major sectors.
“I want to speak to the people of Liberia to look at our track record, let them look at what we have done and let’s forget about the noise. Let’s look at the fact that he came to government at a critical point,” she said.
The Vice President continues, “President Weah has done what he has promised the people”, therefore; she’s confident that he will be re-elected and following their reelection, she’s certain that they will do much more than the former ruling party administration.
