IPNews-Monrovia,Liberia-18 August 2018:

By T. Lula Jaurey

There is growing discontent among opposition political parties following a day-long closed door meeting with the government of Liberia under the stewardship of President George M. Weah.

Following the meeting which led to Journalist asked out of the hall, on Thursday, August 16,2018,  some political parties standard bearers and leaders to reporters the meeting did not achieved its anticipated purposed.

The political leader of one of Liberia’s major opposition parties-Liberty Party (LP), Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, said the meeting, convened by President George Manneh Weah, did not yield the intended results due what she calls ‘Lack of proper agenda  upon which deliberations were to be made’.

“We can only make contribution or input when there is an agenda, but the government does not have any,” Senator Karnga-Lawrence told Journalist minutes after the closed door meeting.

Senator Karnga-Lawrence intimated that it is expected of all good governments for such nature of conjugation of political leaders to have a well-placed agenda for a smooth and fruitful meet which was never the case.

Sen. Karnga-Lawrence: “ The  opposition political party leaders, especially finds it very difficult to attend such a meeting where it is anticipated the opposition will properly scrutinized the performance of the government and make genuine suggestions without an agenda.”

“ We were disappointed that there was no agenda presented, so hopefully we look forward to a national development instrument that will be presented by this government  in which the opposition can make significant inputs amid at driving the developmental agenda of our country.” Senator Karnga-Lawrence emphasized.

The Grand Bassa Senator further explained that that there was nothing substantive available to form a basis deliberations but forum wherein the government solicited assistance from the opposition contrary to the obligation of a well-founded national government.

“ We were disappointed. disappointed, in that the government rather than presenting a national agenda for discussion to the opposition political party heads, sought to solicit agenda from the opposition which was totally disappointment.” The Liberty Party political leader stressed.

According to Madam Karnga-Lawrence, both the Liberty Party and other collaborating political parties such as the Alternative National Congress-ANC, and the Unity Party-UP, with series of consultations went to the meeting as a team to adequately present a national picture of the governance, social and economic conditions of the state but were totally disappointed.

She said in the coming days, the three collaborating political parties are expected to meet and come out with a full respond to the just ended political dialogue held by the Liberia chief executive President George M. Weah.

“I think the best way to move forward is for the government to present an agenda to the opposition then we can now move forward to scrutinize and make recommendations where necessary, but we cannot be the ones doing their jobs. This is what they said they could do and for which they were overwhelmingly elected. So they must do it. We can only make input to what they will develop as opposition,” she said.

For his part, the head of the Unity Party delegation and vice National Chairman for Inter-Party Affairs, Cole Bangalu, stated that contrary to what was anticipated by opposition parties that the meeting would have been forum for frank exchange of views, the meeting was all about ‘soliciting incorporation’ from the opposition for the  ruling party which was a total disappointment.

“Look! The opposition community remains the opposition; we will always support the development of this country and we will remain constructive in our engagements, yet, checkmate the performance of the government and its activities to ensure the right thing is done so that this country can remain peaceful and rapidly.” Cole Bangulu said.

Bangulu reiterated that opposition will continued to flag issues that tend to undermine the economy, rule of law, governance and security of the state which is a moral obligation of the opposition under a democratic space.

“We have catalogued these things before under the collaborating parties which is being documented and will soon be presented to government of Liberia. Bangulu hinted.

As the debate continues, there are concerns from political observers what led to the low representation of main actors of the opposition.

The meeting which according to the Executive Mansion was intended to dialogue with Political Parties leaders on the current political, economic and social departmental path of the country but witnessed the conspicuous absence of from the political dialogue of key political leaders and stakeholders  such as former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia Joseph N. Boakai, of the Unity Party, Charles W. Brumskine of the Liberty Party, J. Mills Jones of the Movement For Economic Empowerment, Alexander B. Cummings of the Alternative National Congress, Kennedy Sandy of the Liberia Transformation Party, Simon Freeman of the Movement For Progressive Change, and Nathaniel Barnes, Destiny Party, among others.

Even though, some were represented by their respective party Chairman, yet, political observers sees the absence of key political leaders and stakeholders from the one day political dialogue as unfortunate considering the current political course of Liberia which needs the total input of all political opinion leaders but rather some opposition leaders, who made below the electoral trash-hole of  2,000 votes during the 2017, in attendance.

Those represented were Benoni Urey, All Liberian Party, and Prince Y. Johnson, Movement For Democratic Reconstruction Party, Jonathan Mason, ULD, and Windell McIntosh, CDA.

In the midst of all the discontent, Information Minister Eugene Nagbe, who spoke with members of the Press expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the meeting but did not say actually what the significant outcome was.

Minister Nagbe told reporters outside of the hall that the meeting afforded political parties leaders he opportunity to freely expressed  themselves on many issues such as the economy, poverty, rule of law, rule of law and the safety of members of the opposition, among others.

Nagbe’s comments runs contrary to earlier views expressed by two of Liberia’s major opposition political parties that the meeting ‘reached no significant outcome’.

Information Minister Eugene Nagbe further expressed gratitude to members of the opposition community for allowing the free sealing of democracy by their active participation during the meeting.

Nagbe pledged government’s continued willingness to working with the opposition community in directing the affairs of the country.