Monrovia — Alexander Cummings, political leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), has said any attempt for the government of President George Weah not to conduct the national census before the 2023 presidential elections would be illegal and a violation of the Constitution of Liberia.
"If we don't conduct census the House of Representatives would be unconstitutional. If the House is unconstitutional, the Legislature would be unconstitutional. If the Legislature is unconstitutional, the government would be unconstitutional. We must conduct the census, and we must do it on time," Cummings told a team of journalists in Monrovia Monday.
Cummings said he would appeal to the international community to help the Weah government - if they need help - with technical support to conduct a census.
"Again, we can't emphasize this enough, not conducting the census before the elections would risk the constitutional legitimacy of the election in 2023, and its outcome. This would undermine Liberia's peace and democracy," he added.
Relating to the current state of affairs under President Weah, Cummings said too many Liberians continue to face hardship despite the fact the country is blessed with vast natural resources.
"I've said this repeatedly because it is true. What is also true is that the lack of honest leadership in government combined with the mismanagement of the resources God has blessed our country. Liberians continue to face hardship because the current president lacks the leadership will to effect change.
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If those who in leadership don't change, Liberia will continue to be poor, and to beg other nations to do for us what we can, and should be doing for ourselves, Cummings said.
"I know that many of you don't need me to tell you that things are bad in our country. This is because across tribes, religions and political parties, Liberians are living the sad reality of worsening economic hardships every day and everywhere in our country."
"From food to gas, and from hospital bill to rent; the cost of everything is going so high while incomes are going down. People can't find jobs. In the last 5 years under President Weah, no serious investor has come to our country but they continue to pour into neighboring countries, including countries that have fought wars like us."
Cummings added said the Weah-led government hasn't "behaved in any way for credible" to attract international investors to seriously consider investing in the country.
"Serious and credible international investors need to trust that their investments would be protected, that a government will respect its own laws, and that a government will not be trying to steal from and cheat them, Cummings has said.
He noted that too many international reports continue to confirm that Liberia as a country is amongst the most corrupt in the world.
He said serious investors have not forgotten that under President Weah, and for the first time in the history of Liberia, saying, "11 foreign embassies, missions and International organizations wrote the president to tell his government to stop taking their money without their permission that they were saving."
