- As Bong County commits unflinching support to his presidential bid
Presidential hopeful Cllr. Taiwan Saye Gongloe has released a bombshell manifesto in his ten-count prescription to Liberia's age-old problems.
Over the weekend, the renowned Liberian Human Rights Lawyer said his political party's 'bombshell manifesto' intends to liberate Liberia from the trap of poverty, impunity, bad governance, abuse of power and unequal distribution of the country's resources.
The opposition leader told the people of Wolota clan, Kpaai District in Bong County, that he will liberate Liberia from the trap of poverty, greed and selfishness.
Bong citizens dance as they welcome Cllr. Gongloe
"I have [a] ten-point political manifesto or agenda for making Liberia better than it is. This will liberate Liberia from the trap of poverty, greed and selfishness," said Cllr. Gongloe Saturday, 8 April 2023.
Gongloe is among several opposition leaders seeking to replace incumbent President George Manneh Weah through the pools this October.
"However, because of time, I will talk about the basic four that will change Liberia [for] better, and they are so dear to my heart," he added.
He named education, heath, agriculture, [anti]-corruption, and road connectivity.
Wolota Clan, Kpaai District in Bong County was a center of attraction and a scene of excitement following the arrival of Cllr. Gongloe and his entourage in the town.
The youth, women, elders, and traditional dancers received Cllr. Gongloe and his team. They marched through the town for an indoor program.
The program was to present Cllr. Gongaloe to the people of Wolota Clan, Kpaai District, for an onward presentation to the entire Bong County.
The people needed to know his mission, vision and agenda for Liberia before he could be presented to Bong County as the next president, and what makes him the best presidential hopeful for the October 2023 elections.
Cllr. Gongloe was given a Kola nut, stick, and rice, among others, and he was rubbed with a chalk.
The traditional women, headed by Madam Mini Koko did the presentation. They said the presentation of the Kola nut represented their open-hearted welcome, and love for Cllr. Gongloe and his team.
He told the people that in Liberia, pregnant women, children and many others died from curable diseases because sometimes, there are no drugs at health facilities or there is no money to go to hospital.
Cllr. Gongloe further indicated that under his administration, pregnant women, children, old folks, and all Liberians will go to government health facilities free of charge. He said they will have better health services at government facilities than in private facilities.
"When I become President, government hospitals will be better than private hospitals and clinics," Gongloe vowed.
"I will do that by going to the health facility myself for treatment, and exercising monitoring and evaluation."
He promised that if there is no drugs, equipment and other things at the hospital, during his surprise visit and the government had appropriated that in the budget, he will call out the head of the entity and fire them.
Additionally, he said he will immediately turn the dismissed official over to the relevant authority for investigation.
As part of his political agenda for Liberia, Gongloe said he will ensure that every Liberian child will go to school free of charge from kindergarten to twelve grade.
"The government will provide all the textbooks, school fees, and everything. That is the free education we will provide."
Cllr. Gongloe noted that under his administration, he will make Liberia a corruption free country by ensuring that every government official accounts for their actions and bear the responsibility thereof.
"Under my administration, we will have a more robust corruption fight. People will be sent to jail and punished for their actions. Nobody will go free when they are caught in corruption," he promised.
"We will also ensure that there is road connectivity all across the country to boost the country's economy, transportation, and trade" he noted.
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Cllr. Gongloe explained that he will make sure that Liberia produces what they eat by ensuring that the government and the country to reduce the importation of rice from other countries.
He named Lofa, Grand Kru, Sinoe, River Gee, Maryland and Gbarpolu as economic counties. But Cllr. Gongloe noted that the road network is very bad in those counties and this is causing huge poverty, poor trading and death of sick citizens, especially pregnant women.
"We will solve that problem in our road connectivity road map. We will make sure that there is Public Work yard in all the counties to have the road maintained," Cllr. Gongloe stated.
" This program is the presentation of our son and nephew, Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe to the people of Wolota Clan, Kpaai District, Bong County," Jonathan Konkon, Town chief, and John Gboe, Chief Elder of Wolota clan told the locals.
"You are not a stranger here because you grew up here. This is your mother's home. We will stand by you and with you," they added.
