Monrovia — The Chairman of Liberia's ruling party Unity Party, Cllr. Varney Sherman has broken ranks with the party's leadership on a number of burning issues dogging the current administration of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Sherman, who was the 166th Independence Day orator used a fiery speech last Friday to hit home a critical assessment of the Sirleaf-led government.

Sherman pointed to corruption and poverty as key factors which drove what was once one of the most peaceful nations in the world into a bloody and ruthless civil war.

Said Cllr. Sherman: There are some who believe that the major causes of our civil conflict was due to fighting between two tribal sides. While I don't disagree with them in the entirety, I submit that the major cause of our civil war that is too often ignored is the poverty, social economic deprivation that too many of our people suffer from. They consider themselves to be at the disadvantage of society and so they distinguish themselves from the rest of us. Poverty, social economic deprivation and drudgery are fertile ground for unrest. It is poverty, social economic deprivation and drudgery that unscrupulous people take advantage of when they employ violence as an instrument to make a difference in the lives of our people."

EJS's Achievements lost in translation

Sherman's assessment came twenty four hours after a group of students at the University of Liberia blocked the major entrance to the institution of higher learning calling for a boycott of the celebrations because in their minds, there was nothing to celebrate and the that Sirleaf-led government had failed to live up to the expectations of the Liberian people.

Not mincing words, Sherman took while showering praises on the Sirleaf government for making inroads on the development front and erasing millions of dollars in debt, said much of the government's accomplishments and achievements are not being articulated clearly. "Enough information about the government's achievements has not flowed to the Liberian public at large and to many of us, even within Monrovia and its immediate environs do not know enough of these achievements and accomplishments."

Sherman went on to say that the absence of information of the GOL's achievements and accomplishments is a serious deficiency that must be remedied immediately. "It should be acknowledged that these accomplishments and achievements can contribute to peace and tranquility in our society."

The UP chairman recommend very strongly that the information dissemination process of this government be revamp and adequately supported to provide all of the information about the accomplishments and achievements of the government - information that permeates every sector of our society.

Nevertheless, Cllr. Sherman submitted that many of the government's accomplishments are not enough as a foundation to transform the country. Said Cllr. Sherman: "I believe that some of those things that made it possible for us to go to war against one another are still simmering."

Singular responsibility on EJS

The UP chair said the Sirleaf administration has a singular responsibility to be just as visionary as past leaders were or even more visionary than they were. "To be just as bold as they were or just as courageous as they were to tackle head on our fundamental problems and differences so that genuine peace can be used to restore our country to its pre-war status and that genuine reconciliation."

Cllr. Sherman averred that in a country where every program or action must be driven by the highest political office, is crucial that Sirleaf take charge and implement policy that would help shape her legacy. "I submit again that you were elected to set the examples of good governance, examples that would be worthy of emulation by your successors; you were elected because Liberians believe that of all of the contestants for the presidency of this country, you were the best prepared and most qualified to be the trendsetter and the pacesetter for the progress of our country and the fulfillment of their individual and collective dreams."

Added Cllr. Sherman: "This means that as much as you have done, it is absolutely imperative that your government engages in one, two or three programs which makes significant impact in the lives of ordinary Liberians, policies and programs for which your government will be long remembered and many of the people in this country will be able to say that it is because of you, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, that our country is where it is or they are where they will be."

For Liberia to progress, Cllr. Sherman suggested that the Sirleaf government implements the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. "Let us make no mistake that the greatest unspoken cause of our civil war was extreme poverty social economic deprivation and drudgery that too many of our people suffer from. It is the reason why a civil war that appears to have started on the basis of conflict between two counties or tribes eventually involved the entire republic of Liberia and affected every nuke and corner of our country. What were the combatants doing in the villages of Lofa County, what were the combatants doing in the villages of Grand Cape Mount County, what were the combatants doing in the villages of Gbarpolu County, what were the combatants doing in the villages."

EJS Committed to TRC Implementation

Sirleaf, later responded by saying that her administration remains committed to implementing the TRC's findings.

In what some say was a pointed response to Sherman, Sirleaf said: "Oftentimes, when the discourse turns to reconciliation, the diehards exclaim that reconciliation cannot take place because the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have not been implemented."

The president reiterated that her government is fully committed to the implementation of the TRC recommendations in those cases where they are in compliance with our Constitution and laws. "In this regard, we are pleased that the Peace-Building Office in the Ministry of Internal Affairs has completed a detailed study which shows clearly the action already taken on the 200-plus recommendations and suggestions that had been made by the Report. Although this remains a work in progress, the results will be released to the public. The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), which has the mandate, under the TRC Law, to ensure the implementation of the recommendations, submitted a work plan to the Executive and the Legislature over a year ago. This includes the Palava Hut System, which is seen as an essential ingredient of the reconciliation process. A reconstitution of that body will help us to accelerate the implementation of those recommendations. I am pleased, in this regard, that our Orator has offered his assistance, and that of some of his colleagues, to help us carry out some of these activities. I appeal to him to join one of the initiatives that are aimed at ensuring that those legal recommendations are, indeed, implemented."

On the issue of corruption, Cllr. Sherman took pointed jabs at Liberia Anti Corruption

Commission for bring the agency into disrepute as he made recommendation he said was key for the Sirleaf government to eradicate corruption from the country.

Obasanjo Differs with Sherman

Former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo, who was a special guest at the celebration differed with Cllr. Sherman on the issue of corruption. "Corruption is a very bad cancer in the body politics of any country. The orator Cllr. Sherman believed and I would say erroneously that corruption can be wiped out. There is no society in the world where corruption has ever been wiped out. But there are many societies in the world where corruption is not a way of life and what we must strive for is to make sure that corruption does not become a way of life in our society."

The former Nigerian head of state agreed with Cllr. Sherman on the issue of poverty. "I do agree with the orator that one thing we must never play with is poverty. Poverty is strange bedfellow with development, with peace, with progress and we must do everything humanly possible to end of abject poverty. And in doing that there are certain issues we must not leave behind. Farming, infrastructure, education, capacity building, energy, healthcare and wellbeing and agriculture. If we are going to deal with unemployment, agric business is one of the means by which we can tackle that. I'm talking now of the value chain from the land preparation to the food on the table and that is one area where we can get a lot of our youths employed."

The former Nigerian head of state said as somebody who has experience civil war, participated in one, actually concluded one in his own country, he has participated in one civil war too many as he concluded that civil war is not a good thing for any country. "And you are doing very well, just as my country is doing very well. It took the Americans almost one hundred years because just as they seem to be putting their civil war behind them as you are now putting your civil war behind you, you should be congratulated and commended."

On the issue of poverty, Sirleaf said although health and education and agriculture will remain of the highest priorities in her government, her administration is determined to give emphasis to infrastructure, particularly road and power, for these facilities enhance the quality of service in all sectors. "We will follow this chosen path of other countries which have achieved the transformation we seek," Sirleaf said.

EJS Heralds Progress

The president said her government has made progress in the development of infrastructure, despite the challenges. "We are well under way to meet our promise to road-connect the different capitals of our counties. Our commitment to provide electricity to our people is showing promise, through an increase in the number of customers served in Monrovia, the establishment of the first mini-hydro, and our confidence that the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant will come on-stream at the end of 2015. This will supplement the additional power that will be provided between now and that time."

The president said several places now enjoy solar lights, and reported that the government's cross-border initiative, through which Liberians will see eighteen communities start to receive electricity was already on course. "As of three nights ago, the lines for the Nimba portion of the project were being tested, to the joy of the residents of Luguatuo, Duoplay, Karnplay, Sanniquellie and Ganta, who now have street lights in those communities. Testing will continue throughout the remaining lines in the county, and by August residences and businesses will start being connected to the electricity grid. We hope that by Christmas, the citizens of Maryland and Grand Gedeh will experience similar joy, Nimba having come on-stream by the end of August."

Sirleaf said the same progress can be reported in the provision of water and sanitation, coming from absolutely zero public service in 2006 to where many are benefiting today.

"As we move around the country, the progress is clear regarding the clean water provided through thousands of boreholes and sanitation to an increasing number of facilities."