Monrovia — The Executive Director of a local rights group, Lady Justice Center of Liberia, Ms. Hawa Metzger, has accused the 55th Legislature of impoverishing ordinary citizens.
Speaking on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions (CEIO) on Carey Street in Central Monrovia, Ms. Metzger said lawmakers' action of allocating a huge sum of money to buy vehicles for themselves despite the huge salaries and benefits they earn monthly, to the detriment of the citizens who elected them, is making the people poorer.
She notes that Liberia is blessed with many natural resources. Still, citizens continue to live in abject poverty, becoming beggars in various communities and street corners.
The American-based Liberian Social Justice Activist decries the 55th Legislature to allocate to themselves in the national envelope about Forty-five Thousand United States dollars (USD 45 000) to purchase vehicles for all 103 members of the House.
"The World Bank's latest poverty report indicates that 3 out of 10 people in Monrovia live in poverty; the situation is significantly worse in rural areas, where 8 out of 10 individuals were affected by poverty in 2016."
She explains that this stark disparity between urban and rural areas poses a significant challenge to poverty reduction efforts in Liberia.
According to her, the report also describes Liberia as one of the world's poorest countries, having experienced a volatile growth trajectory marked by challenges of fragility.
She states that despite possessing significant natural resources such as gold, iron ore, and plenty of land, Liberia's economic performance has been unstable, largely hindered by conflict and reliance on exports of primary commodities.
However, Madam Metzger continues that this resource-driven growth model has failed to generate sufficient employment opportunities for Liberians or foster broad-based growth and development, further exacerbating the country's poverty and economic challenges.
She wants the people of Liberia, including the youth, to demand that their Lawmakers do the right thing for them.
She clarifies that this should not be misconstrued as calling for protestation but rather as demanding that they do the right thing that will help improve their lives.
"My institution is working with other rights groups in the country by making sure to address challenges confronting citizens across the country."
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She pointed out that her institution is also collaborating with other Human Rights institutions in the country to help victims of human rights valuation, sexual abuse, and ritualistic killings get justice.
She stresses a need to conduct background checks on security agencies responsible for fighting illegal substances in the country.
"You cannot say you are fighting illegal substances, but you are the main person that is allegedly involved in selling such substances," she notes.
She reveals that her institution is involved in removing people commonly referred to in Liberia as Zogos from the streets but considers them unforgotten people in the society to rehabilitate them to become useful once again in society.
At the same time, Madam Metzger challenged Liberians to compete with their foreign counterparts if they were to take control of the country's economy.
She underscores that she wants to see more Liberians owning stores on Broad Street and at major commercial centers as well as marketplaces instead of selling in wheelbarrows around time, something she says "Sometimes makes me shed tears."
