Monrovia — A member of the Advisory Council of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Chief Cyril Allen, urges President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to harness his vast experience and demonstrate strong leadership to guide Liberia towards prosperity.
Chief Allen emphasizes that the President should take control of the country's direction and use his extensive experience to improve the nation's trajectory.
Responding to a statement made by former Nimba County senatorial candidate Edith Gongloe-Wreh, who praised President Boakai's wealth of experience in public service when she appeared on Spoon Talk on Sunday, January 5, 2025, Chief Allen argued that Mr. Boakai's decades of involvement in governance, spanning over 40 years, should be leveraged for the betterment of Liberia.
He says Boakai has witnessed the nation's economic highs and lows, and it is now time for him to apply that knowledge to lead effectively.
"The President, with over 40 years of experience, must use it to dispense quality leadership to change the people's lives," Allen urges. Despite being labeled a poor nation, he emphasizes that Liberia is rich in natural resources, a fact that should not be overlooked, and urges the President to demonstrate firm leadership to ensure the country's resources are used effectively.
He notes that Liberia is endowed with abundance of natural wealth, including gold, diamonds, timber, and coastal waters, as untapped assets that could transform the economy, suggesting establishment of diamond drilling machines, gold processing plants, and a more sustainable approach to natural resource management, including establishment of sawmills and plywood plants to process timber here for export.
The Liberian politician also calls on the 55th Legislature to review existing concessions to ensure that Liberia receives more benefits from its natural resources.
Additionally, Allen calls on the President and his government to look back at past initiatives, such as the Lofa County Agriculture Development Project and the Bong County Agriculture Development Project, which he notes once provided thousands of jobs and contributed significantly to the country's agricultural output.
He also references Liberia's potential in the fishing industry, citing the country's 300 miles of coastal waters and the opportunity to invest in modern fishing boats and processing vessels.
Chief Allen, who also serves as Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), recalls success of the timber and plywood industry during the administration of jailed former Liberian President Charles Taylor in which he (Allen) served, where a US$33 million plywood plant built in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, exported products to neighboring countries and Asian markets.
"Liberians' cocoa and coffee were once traded on the stock market in Great Britain," he recalls, urging President Boakai to remember these past successes as he formulates policies that could harness Liberia's natural resources to boost the economy, generate revenue, and improve national infrastructure.
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The Chairman emeritus of Mr. Taylor's National Patriotic Party wants President Boakai to reflect on Liberia's rich resources and take decisive action to transform the country's economy to ensure a brighter future for all Liberians.
Eighty-year-old President Boakai, who served as Vice President under Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for 12 years, defeated George Weah in a runoff poll in November 2023 to clinch the Presidency, but his critics say he is proceeding slowly despite over 40 years of governmental experience. Editing by Jonathan Browne
