Cummings: Liberia Too Dark Under Weah
MONROVIA – The standard-bearer of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander Cummings, has chided President George Weah for his lack of governance, describing the latest Roberts International Airport (RIA) mishap as a national disgrace.
On Wednesday, April 27, SN Brussels, one of only two flights to Europe from Liberia, came close to a crash-landing at the RIA, due to the lack of electricity at the country’s only international airport.
The plane, reported to be low on fuel, had to abort landing at the dark airport to return to Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Cummings said Liberia under President Weah has become too dark, and too dangerous. “Liberia’s darkness is not only in the lack of electricity, rising crimes, runaway corruption, and unbearable and worsening economic hardships”. “We thank God for the safety of the passengers and crews whose lives continue to be threatened by the incompetent and irresponsible leadership of President George Weah. President Weah has spent more time partying and playing football than leading the country,” Cummings added
“Too many people are unfairly suffering because of the incompetence and irresponsible leadership of President Weah.”
This is the second time in less than three months that a cross-continental flights have had to abort landing at the dark RIA.
On February 20, this year, a Royal Air Maroc flight scheduled to land at the RIA at 4am was forced to abort landing due to the dark runway. The flight had made several attempts, using the navigation system to no avail, forcing the pilots to take the plane for landing in neighboring Sierra Leone.
Like Liberia, Cummings said, Sierra Leone has seen its share of war and destruction, however, at the moment, the difference in the development of the two war-weary nations is in the levels of incompetence and irresponsible leadership of the Liberian presidency and administration.
President Weah, Cummings added, has not only failed and but continues to embarrass Liberia, and has made Liberia dangerous to travel to, and even more dangerous to live in. “On almost a daily basis, mysterious deaths and unsolved murders are being reported.”
“Streets and communities are unsafe due to rising unemployment and crimes. Like President Weah, administration officials are shamelessly displaying unexplained wealth while Liberian families are struggling to find food to eat, pay rent, buy fuel and gas, pay hospital bills and pay children school fees. Too many Liberians are becoming beggars in a country blessed with so much riches.”
Cummings claimed officials in President Weah’s government are matching their boss in displaying unexplained wealth, with civil servants’ salaries being cut and delayed so that they can’t even pay their way to work over the working month, Monrovia Consolidated School System is being told to raise its own money to improve government schools; doctors, nurses, teachers, police and other service men and women are underpaid and under-resourced to do their works; public hospitals and clinics are without medicines and beds; and schools are without much-needed support so that the quality of education to our children is amongst the worst in the West African subregion.
Cummings added the former footballer-turned politician brought so much pride and joy to the country, but as president, he has made Liberian lives miserable; he has made living conditions of Liberians unbearable; and he has made the country too dark and too dangerous.
“President Weah has betrayed the trust of the Liberian people, including the young people who saw hope in his remarkable story, and the CDC which saw a change leader in him. This sad reality of incompetence, inability and betrayal, all Liberians must now come to face together, not as parties but as a nation made dark and dangerous by a boy-king,” Cummings said.
“We may like Weah for the footballing memories. But we cannot like him at the expense of Liberia. It is time to love Liberia more.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections, Cummings called on Liberians to relieve Weah of the heavy burden of presidential leadership placed on him. “We must vote President Weah out and set to rebuild and reorder our country.”
“2023 is time to begin the process of real change in Liberia – to end the stealing in government, to light up our country, and to make our streets and communities safe again. With real change, we will unite Liberians, improve living conditions, lower the high costs of living, and gainfully employ Liberians by creating jobs and paying decent living wages and salaries.”
