The University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU) has termed as "greatly frustrating" the trend the country is taking with many youth being prone to die at an early age due to acute poverty.

According to the President of ULSU, George Williams, poverty in Liberia is not a phenomenon that should be treated with rhetoric, but should be seen as an unacceptable way of life.

"The government needs to address poverty reduction in Liberia and stop cosmeticizing preventive mechanisms that are unrealistic and unachievable; the situation of poverty in Liberia has fundamental root causes that must be drastically dealt with, " Student Williams noted.

The student leader said what is more worrisome is the manner in which state resources are being "misused" by unethical and immoral individuals in national areas of trust, terming it as "failure."

Mr. Williams said there is no need to have the Poverty Reduction Strategy and its implementation. He added that the government needs to be sincere about poverty reduction by taking robust corruption eradication approaches that bring to book those who break public trust.

He said by this approach, the country's economic growth will commensurate with its social and economic development.

According to Mr. Williams, corruption is a toxic cancer that undermines the development of farm to market road, social and infrastructural development of the country and needs to be stopped.

He expressed grief that the indicators and scenarios in the PRS document are far from the true because of the Liberians' conditions, but noted that the government should better give real and practical attention what will mitigate its spread.

Mr. Williams indicated that the result of the 2008 National Housing and Population Census indicates that sixty-eight (68) percent of the country's 3.4 million live below poverty line, earning less than US$1 a-day; an outbreak that has engulfed the nation thereby creating serious hardship for people.

Meanwhile some students of UL disagreed with ULSU's claim terming it as misrepresentation of the fact. The students, some of whom spoke to The Informer said, the government has made significant strides in addressing poverty situations in Liberia.

"The government is doing well; she is currently rehabilitating some of the major roads in the country, restored pipe borne water to some parts of the country and has increased the minimum salary of a government employee to US$80 per month. These are great successes that the government has achieved that need commendation." Alfred Wongba, a student of Political Science explained.

According to Morris Siafa, a student of Public Administration, the government has transformed the lives of many Liberians in a relative short time.

He said the government has signed a number of concession agreements that will create job to boost the country's economy. "It really means well for the people, you see light in some area in the city and some other counties; these are things that government worth to be commended for."

Under one of the Pillars of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), the government intends to reform the country's financial sector in order to promote a stable, sound and market-base financial system that supports efficient mobilization and allocation of resources to foster sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.

The important goal of the PRS is rapid creation of productive employment that will reduce poverty, ensure peace and stability, and enhance the overall well-being of the Liberian population.