We Expect More Progress Report than Promises and Commitments

IPNEWS: Ahead of the last State of the Nation Address (SONA) this afternoon, today, January 30th, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) has called on President George Manner Weah to do justice to the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), the flagship development agenda of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), by presenting more progress reports on his achievements on each pillar of the PAPD.

The Council in a release note that this Monday’s SONA marks the conclusion of the first six-year tenure of President Weah, and as such, providing tangible results of his first stewardship of the country should be the direct focus of his last SONA.

“It is expected that where the President failed, he would muster the courage to admit and state clear reasons why his administration could not deliver on those promises,” stated the Council.

The Council among other things notes that it would be completely remiss of the President if he would use this last opportunity to dabble more into making promises or commitments, shifting blames for unfulfilled and broken promises or spending time into political grandstanding or polemics outside of giving the Legislature a comprehensive account of his administration and leadership of Liberia.

SONA is in consonance of Article 58 of the Liberian Constitution, which states that: “The President shall, on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, present the administration’s legislative program for the ensuing session, and shall once a year report to the Legislature on the state of the Republic. In presenting the economic condition of the Republic the report shall cover expenditure as well as income.”