Gbarnga — Why has Nathaniel McGill gained so much interest in Bong County in recent years? This is the question on the lips of members of the opposition in the county as the minister of state makes yet another trip to the county this week to meet with residents of the county.
For someone who was seen as a "stranger" in the county barely months ago, McGill has grown into a character worthy of public trust among natives of the county - thanks to his interventions in major areas, including tuition aid for students of the county, market loans to women, among others.
McGill's quest to help the needy in Bong County has seen him visit almost all of the county's 13 districts, while at the same time preaching one key message: the re-election of President George Weah in 2023. In Kokoyah District recently, McGill said the loans and tuition aid would not have been possible had it not been for the farsightedness of President Weah.
"When we were on campaign the president 2017 the president made it clear that the issue about tuition wouldn't be a problem during the CDC leadership, what I am doing here in Bong, Nimba, Margibi and other counties just validates what the president had said four years ago," he said.
The introduction of the tuition aid to students, loan to market women and other key initiatives has endeared McGill to residents and seems to be paying off politically for the ruling party in Bong County ahead of 2023 presidential elections.
In recent weeks, there have a gale of endorsements for President Weah's second term bid from members of the opposition. A group of youths under the banner "Disenchanted Opposition Youths" pledged their unflinching support to President Weah and attributed their decision to McGill.
The head of the group, Emmanuel Tamatai, said: "While it's true we came today to endorse President George Weah's second term it would be unfair not to mention the role you played in convincing us to join ranks with the ruling party. Your personal assistance to us as an institution over the years can't go unnoticed."
President Weah's vision for growth and development, the group said, has been experimented in since he took over the presidency.
In response, McGill said aside from giving opportunities to youths to flourish in their areas of activities, young people have been major drivers of the Weah presidency.
McGill gave a thumbs up to the conveners for what he called "an overwhelming support" by the group, saying their endorsement of President Weah's second term was an indication of the firm belief in the competence and capability of the president to lead the country for the next six years.
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McGill said: "I thank our teeming youths from the opposition community for coming to declare this overwhelming support and endorsement for your great leader, President Weah, to lead Liberia for another six years.
"The endorsement you give to our leader is one step towards realization of the Weah 2023 project. The most important step is to go out in villages and towns to spread the message."
McGill described the support as "massive", saying the president would show gratitude for the endorsement by continue to work hard to positively change the story of the country for young people.
The youths, McGill said, must eschew politics of bitterness and disunity, urging them to lend themselves to projects initiated to change the story of the nation for good.
With a year shy of the 2023 elections, McGill believes his presence in Bong County, along with Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, a native of Bong, District Three lawmaker Marvin Cole, and other prominent sons and daughters of the county who support President Weah's re-election, all the odds are in favor of the ruling party to win the county.
