The National Orator of Liberia's 166th Independence Anniversary, Cllr. Varney Nambi-Gboto Sherman, has suggested that the major cause of the Liberian civil war that is too often ignored is the abject poverty, socio-economic deprivations and drudgery that too "many of our people suffer from; they considered themselves to be the disadvantaged of our society and they therefore distinguish themselves from the rest of us".

According to Cllr. Sherman, there are some who believe that the major cause of the Liberian civil war was strife between two counties or two tribes of our country. He said while he does not disagree with them in the entirety, abject poverty, socio-economic deprivations and drudgery are fertile grounds for unrest.

He pointed out: "It is abject poverty, socio-economic deprivations and drudgery that unscrupulous people take advantage of when they employ violence as the instrument to make a difference in the lives of a people." Official celebration of this year's Independence Anniversary was jointly hosted by Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and Bomi Counties.

Cllr. Sherman, who is also the Chairman of the ruling Unity Party (UP), further pointed out that the greatest unspoken cause of the over decade Liberian civil war is the extreme poverty, socio-economic deprivations and drudgery that too many of our people suffer from.

The renowned Liberian lawyer mentioned that it is the reason why a civil war that appeared to have started on the basis of differences between two counties or tribes eventually involved and engulfed the entire Republic of Liberia and affected every nook and corner of our country.

Said Cllr. Sherman: "Had it not been extreme poverty, socio-economic deprivations and drudgery which are the major cause of our civil war, then tell me why people from every tribe fought in our civil war? Tell me why the civil war went to Lofa County, or to Bomi County, or Gbarpolu County or Grand Cape Mount County. Tell me why combatants concentrated on depriving our people of their possessions and destroying what they could not take away."

Speaking on the theme: "Consolidating Peace and Reconciliation for Transformation", the prominent Liberian politician stated that as much as this Government has done to reduce extreme poverty, to improve the lives and livelihood of the Liberian people and remove them from the experience of drudgery, there is still much more to be done.

He said some of the things which need to be done are not too expensive or too difficult to be done. "For example, Madam President and Members of the leadership of our country, we all know that the large majority of our people do not have clean pipe-born water and human waste disposal facilities even though these are an absolute necessity for their health and well-being.

Too many of our people have never had the comfort of electric light; and I need not tell you the transformation that the electric light brings to any community. As much as we all appreciate the big infrastructure development projects carried out since an appreciable level of peace returned to Liberia."

Against this back drop, the national orator also suggested that small projects such as the installation of water pumps and solar lights in all the villages of Liberia - projects which directly impact the lives of the greatest majority of the Liberian people - be implemented as one way of alleviating the extreme poverty and drudgery that they live in.

The national orator furthered: "These undertakings, even though insignificant in their appearances, will make tremendous difference in the lives of the Liberian people and will cause them to renew their loyalty and commitment to the Republic of Liberia. If our Government were to invest in such things, we will be considered a pacesetter and a trendsetter; this is what the Liberian people elected you for, Madam President."

He then called on Madam President and other Members of the leadership of the country to explore the possibility during this current six-year term of office to make a difference in the lives of a majority of Liberian people by installing hand pumps and solar lights in each village of Liberia.

The UP chairman continued: "There is no doubt that the transformation of Liberia has begun as there is an appreciable level of peace and stability within Liberia; regional peace and cooperation with West Africa and the African continent is vigorously sought by our Government. All of these achievements and accomplishment for peace have been done and are being done in cooperation with the international community."

However, in this regard, he acknowledged that President Johnson-Sirleaf's government has done a tremendous job. He said Liberia is indeed on the forward march because of Madam President personal commitment and work to achieve such level of peace and stability within the country and in our neighborhood.

But Cllr. Sherman submitted that more needs to be done to establish a strong foundation for the transformation of Liberia after the Liberian civil war.

"Some of the things on which genuine peace and reconciliation after our civil war are dependent are factors, such as reconciliation of all our people and rehabilitation of the victims of our civil war, new and robust approach to political governance, emphasis on nationalism and our social and cultural values and promotion of individual initiatives and Liberian entrepreneurship.

And for each of these dependencies for genuine peace and reconciliation, Liberians believe that you, Madam President, have the capacity and ability to achieve and accomplish them and they expect that you came to the leadership of our country with new ideas directed at making the desired difference in their lives," Cllr. Sherman among other things added.