Minister Piah stated that the current government seeks to promote a culture of respect for past leaders.
Monrovia – Minister of Information Jerolinmek Piah has called on former President George Weah to refrain from engaging in what he termed as the “normal style of politics,” so that the respect due to a former president can be accorded to him.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)[email protected]
Minister Piah’s statement came in response to comments made by the former Liberian leader, who stated that President Joseph Boakai is not the change Liberians needed to move the country forward.
Mr. Weah, during his party’s Militants’ Day Celebration over the weekend, participated in a phone-in interview with Freedom FM radio, where he accused the Boakai-led government of dishonesty and claimed that officials are not genuinely interested in positive change but have returned to Liberia due to lack of success abroad.
“You wanted change, but Boakai was not the change. Those who left the country and now claim to return for change are not sincere. They are here because their situations abroad were not prosperous,” Weah stated.
Weah further claimed that Boakai, despite indicating he was not up to the task, was elected as President. He accused Boakai of neglecting his duty to serve the entire country, focusing instead on Unity Party members. Weah also criticized the Boakai administration’s failure to deliver on its 100-day promises. “Liberians need to sit down and watch. “Boakai is not going to do anything. In their 100 days, we are not seeing results. I hope our people realize we made a mistake, moving from a new era back to the old era,” he said.
Addressing journalists at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing on Tuesday, Minister Piah stated that the current government seeks to promote a culture of respect for past leaders. However, he noted that past leaders themselves must conduct themselves in a manner that commands respect.
“A leader, whether past or present, is supposed to be a role model and make their voice a voice of solution,” Minister Piah stated.
“You cannot, you must not drop down to the same normal style of politics like career politicians because if you don’t separate both, it will be difficult to draw the line between you as a former President and you as a politician.”
Minister Piah added: “We want to respect you; we want to respect all our former leaders. Don’t push us. Mounting this podium every time, I have been careful on how to address issues because this is how we are going to change this country. Doing so is not an act of laziness. When you want to be dirty, we can do it better than you.”
Minister Piah also referenced past issues during Weah’s administration: “There were leaders of our country, sanctioned from left to right by our most respectable partner, the United States of America. You were not sleeping; you were aware. Corruption reached its zenith; auditors were murdered in cold blood, and your government could not act.”
Additionally, he pointed out that the change President Boakai seeks is not comparable to building 44 condominiums, as was done by former President Weah in the first six months of his administration. “President Boakai in six months did not build one kitchen.”
