Monrovia — The newly inducted chairman of the Foundation For Better Liberia (FOBEL), Sekou Bility, said, "I will do everything in my capacity as Chairman to restore the institution's image."
According to him, members of FOBEL have decided to join hands once again for the progress of the institution and to make concerted efforts to rebuild their organization and restore its vision and mission for the best interests of the general membership.
He continued, "The tasks we face today are difficult, but we can accomplish them only if we work together. Each period in the history of our beloved institution has had its special challenges."
Today marks the beginning not only of a new administration but an administration that will be eventful and decisive for our country Liberia and the world at large.
"FOBEL and the world, for years to come, will face challenges, confront hardships, and adversities, but by the power of the exalted one (GOD), we will get the job done. Throughout our history, we have never had such a peaceful and democratic transition of leadership, transparent and free from violence."
Therefore, we must applaud our outgoing chairman Elijah M'bortee Cephus and his co-officials for such a historic record.
We are grateful to the Cephus leadership for their great aid throughout the transition.
Today's ceremony, however, has a very special meaning because we are not forcefully transferring power from one administration to another, but through a democratic and elected manner," he added.
Hon. Bility further stated, "Distinguished members and statesmen, let me emphasize again on my leadership platforms, which we promised to deliver, as follows:
Transparency and Accountability - Our team will institute mechanisms through which we will be transparent in our workings, especially in financial matters. These approaches include the introduction of a 'Voucher System' for honest and recorded financial keeping.
Invoice System - We will develop an 'Invoice System' through which individuals or organizations wanting to use our platform will need to make bill payments. This process will involve all those related to finance issues within the leadership.
Administrative Discipline - Our leadership promises to be administratively disciplined. We will provide regular and comprehensive financial reports as mandated by our constitution on a quarterly basis each year. We will also conduct bi-annual financial audits, utilizing volunteer members of FOBEL and other institutions with vast understanding of financial discipline. We will do this to maintain our integrity.
Audit of Previous Administration - To ensure transparency, the Cephus administration will be audited, and all financial reports will be published on the FOBEL bulletin.
Result-Oriented Advocacy - Our leadership will ensure robust advocacy on issues confronting our society daily. We will seek necessary redress from the state actors in our country. If needed, our approaches may include constructive and sustained protests against relevant stakeholders and pursuing legal processes by filing court petitions. We aim to advocate for the people and speak against ills in our society constructively, as the cardinal purpose of the Foundation For Better Liberia.
Reconciliation - As we are aware that elections come with strong feelings, disputes, and intensive political pressures, we plan to ensure that we have everyone on board to work and make FOBEL great again. We will formulate reconciliation mechanisms to put aside electoral bitterness and ensure the inclusion of individuals with integrity into the leadership. To achieve this, we will utilize the conflict resolution experience of our elders and encourage fellow members to engage in reconciliation. "Unity is Key" because it brings development, as the former U.S. President Barack Obama said, "Change can only be possible if we seek it together, noting that we are the change we seek."
Gender Equity - Our team is cognizant of the fact that many of our female friends may not be interested in being part of this revolution for various reasons. As our team presents to you the only female participant during the electoral process, the leadership will also strategize to create more activities that encourage female presence at our institution on a daily basis. They will not only be listeners but also key facilitators.
We promise to prioritize every female participant on board.
Human Resource Development/Capacity Building - Our leadership will ensure that we explore avenues for training opportunities in various professions, both theoretical and practical, to empower members of FOBEL. We strongly believe in doing so.
Members of this institution will be well-informed and capable of speaking on national concerns from an informed background.
The training process will include vocational and technical education, project writing, public speaking, and more. Remember that the best development a nation can achieve is by first developing the minds of its citizens.
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Economic Empowerment - Our leadership will endeavor to explore opportunities for the empowerment of our members by seeking jobs and networking with businesses operating in our country. We will sell proposal writings to local and international donors for grants that will facilitate the hiring of our members.
While seeking job opportunities for our members, the leadership is also open to collaborations with employable institutions and other business owners to provide opportunities that will empower some of our members.
We will also reinforce our regular due payment process. We believe that regularly paying dues to the institution helps support our operational activities. Our noble institution can regain its greatness if we, as members, pay our dues regularly.
Infrastructure Development - We promise to develop our organization by undertaking construction projects. We will do our best to complete the bathroom project and give it a modern look. Our headquarters will be renovated, and we aim to secure an office space. Additionally, we will purchase land for the institution, and another research center will be built for all Fobelists.
