In recent years, especially in this current administration of His Excellency Joseph N. Boikai, Sr. there have been and continues to be claims and counter-claims of National or State Projects being dedicated by the government as either Boikai's projects or Weah's projects depending on the side one is aligned with. Partisans of the ruling establishment are crediting these initiatives to President Boikai while partisans of the former ruling party (CDC) and some oppositions are crediting these developments to Former President Weah.
But there is a difference between National or State Projects and Presidential Projects. And if partisans from either side can know the difference and be sincere to themselves and the country, the debates of whose projects they are will be inconsequential.
Indeed, there is a difference between National or State Projects and Presidential Projects. National or State projects are normally large-scale projects of national significance that are usually focused on infrastructural development, educational advancement, healthcare, and social-economic initiatives aimed at improving the country and the lives of its citizens. These National or State Projects are usually funded by funds paid by taxpayers' and sometimes sponsored by international partners.
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Projects of this nature address the needs and issues that affect the entire country or significant regions within the country. These National or State Projects are often passed by legislation and budgeted in the National Budget of the country and are normally voted upon by members of the legislature from both the oppositions and the ruling party.
National or State Projects are essential for economic growth, improving the lives of the citizens, and the overall development of the State. They create jobs for the citizens and improve public services that eventually lead to productivity in addition to providing strategic investments that the country can undertake to achieve significant improvements in various sectors of the economy and country.
Effective National or State Projects planning and implementation also ensure efficient resources allocation and long-term benefits for the country and its citizens. National or State Projects are crucial for advancing economic prosperity, enhancing the quality of life of the citizens, and building a more sustainable future for the country and citizens.
On the other hand, Presidential Projects are specific initiatives championed by the president or his administration that are aimed at addressing specific issues or achieving a particular goal during his or her tenure. They are more specific, often not detailed or large, and are chosen by the president of the state. These Presidential Projects are often aligned with the president's priorities and goals for the country.
While National or State Projects are broader and focus on long-term national development goals and Presidential Projects are more closely tied to the incumbent President's specific vision and goals for the country, they are both funded by state's resources and not the president's personal money.
Remember, taxpayers' money is fundamental to the functioning of any state, as it is the primary revenue source the state uses to provide public goods and services for the collective benefit of its people. Taxpayers' money pays for the construction and maintenance of important infrastructures such as roads, bridges, airports, and utilities like water and sanitation, including electricity are not the personal money of any president. Taxpayers' money is the lifeblood of the government which is used to fulfill the government's responsibilities of protecting, serving, and developing the state.
Therefore, whether National or State projects were initiated by a particular president and completed by another president, said projects are National or State Projects and not projects of the person who initiated them or the one who completed them. While it may be logical and prudent to give credit to the one who completed the projects and not the one who initiated them but couldn't complete them, the overall credit should be given to the people of the country whose taxes are at work and who hold the government accountable for their stewardship.
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We need to note that the development of Liberia and its citizens should be our focus now as a people and not who is credited for projects that were funded by taxpayers' money or our international partners.
Long live our common patrimony, our leaders, and the peace-loving people of Liberia.
About the Author
The Rev. Dr. Slewion P. Lewis is an ordained priest of the Episcopal Church of Liberia and current Dean of the Emmanuel W. Johnson College of Theology at Cuttington University Undergraduate Program, Director of Theological Education of the Episcopal Church of Liberia and Priests-in-Charge of Grace Episcopal Church, Sugar Hill, Gbarnga, Bong County.
