MONROVIA, Montserrado – President George Weah has delivered his first State of the Nation address, disclosing that the economy is broken, and the government broke.

Weah told the nation through a joint session of the 54^th National Legislature on Monday that the Liberian dollar is highly depreciating, increasing the inflation rate in the country. He also pointed out that the rate of unemployment is unprecedentedly high, and foreign reserves stand at an all-time low.

The Liberian leader pointed out that he cannot be expected to report with authority on the expenditure and income of the government for the previous year headed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf because he has been president for just a single week.

“Of course, during the transition process, certain information has been provided to us on both income and expenditure, containing balances, which we now inherit to carry forward,” he reported.

According to him, total revenues collected in the 2017 calendar year amounted to US$489.1 million, a 13 percent decline over the US$565.1 million revenue collected in 2016.

He attributed the decrease in revenue to delays in the recent electoral process, which he said had the effect of reducing the transition period from three months to three weeks.

“Nevertheless, and in spite of the above-described situation, it is possible to inform you that the state of the economy that my administration has inherited, leaves a lot to be desired,” he said. “This is plain for all to see, for we are all affected by it.”

Weah disclosed that addressing these constraints would require close collaboration with the legislature. Because of the dismal state of the economy and the many sacrifices needed to have it revived, Weah announced he would cut his salary and benefits by 25 percent. He called on members of the legislature to follow his example.

He told the lawmakers that his administration would propose and introduce appropriate legislations based on the pillars of the administration’s platform – giving power to the people, jobs and the economy, peace sustainability, and governance and transparency.

Weah said the education system is and shall remain a constant and major priority in his administration.

“For example, I made a promise that my Government will absorb the WAEC [WASSCE] fees for all 12th graders, and I remain committed to that promise,” he said. According to him, his government had already begun to disburse the fees by committing an initial US$200,000.

Weah promised to introduce new legislations and policies intended to achieve sustainable economic growth, develop and expand agriculture, and address the country’s huge infrastructure deficit. He placed emphasis on roads construction and the provision of affordable and adequate electricity for all.

Under the peace sustainability pillar, the president noted that the government would examine ways to improve the judicial system to ensure that the basic rights of all citizens are protected.

“To that end, we will propose legislation that will be intended to create new processes and avenues to ensure that all our people are fully reconciled,” he said.

He promised to rely on budgetary support to provide improvements in the security sector, including the armed forces and other agencies responsible for national security.

“In this regard, we will specially focus on the housing constraints faced by our security personnel,” he noted.

“We will request you to draft legislation that will focus on the decentralization of institutions and systems of governance, review and build upon the current Code of Conduct, in order to increase accountability of public officials and reduce the incidence of corruption.”

With his plan to make government more efficient, Weah disclosed that he would submit to the legislature a draft legislation to restructure the cabinet and make government ministries and agencies more effective in addressing issues.

However, Weah told the nation that his immediate strategy for reducing poverty, increasing youth empowerment, and improving economic productivity is to embark upon a comprehensive road and highway construction program that will link all county capitals with all-weather paved primary roads.

“They will be built to the highest international standards and linked to paved secondary farm-to-market roads that will enhance agriculture, trade, and tourism in Liberia,” he disclosed.

He said particular priority will be given to a coastal highway that will run from Buchanan to Harper, which he believes will eventually end the “complete isolation” of south eastern Liberia, a condition he said has existed since the formation of the country.

“The is a medium-term project which will take several years to complete, but it is the intention of my government to prioritize the planning and raising of funding for this important development goal, which has been estimated to cost approximately US$3 billion,” he also noted.

Weah acknowledged that doing so would be challenging, but he remains convinced that the goals will be achieved before the end of his tenure through the support of friendly governments and institutions.

On what he termed as his most urgent and imperative agenda, the new Liberian leader pledged to work with the legislature on removing legal restrictions on citizenship to only residents of black African descent, ensuring that foreigners can own property, and to ensure that dual citizenship becomes a reality.

He said removing these restrictions would promote development and speed up improvement in the economy. He said some of the existing restrictions placed in the constitution were as a result of fears that were relevant over a century ago, when Liberia was one of the few black independent republics. However, he said it is now time to amend the laws as those factors are no longer in existence.

“No foreign investor – in fact, not any investor – will be willing to make significant direct investments in our country if they cannot own property,” he said.

“Furthermore, direct investments placed on leased properties are virtually unbankable, because most banks are reluctant to accept leaseholds as collateral for loans to persons and business entities for projects that could very well enhance our development and create jobs for our people.”

He said the legal restrictions to citizenship and land and property ownership are inconsistent with his pronouncement that “Liberia is open for business,” as the laws limit foreign investors.

“Liberian citizens are free to purchase property in any other country as non-citizens, yet our constitution and laws will not allow similar privileges to be accorded to the citizens of other nations,” he said.

“I therefore strongly recommend that this restriction be removed, and that the appropriate rules and regulations of the Land Commission and other relevant agencies be amended and strengthened to accommodate this new development, if approved by referendum.”

On his call for dual citizenship, Weah said most Liberians who sought citizenship from other countries did so because of the years of wars in Liberia, which they escaped, and that it would be unfair to deny them citizenship if they want to contribute to that native country.

“We need them, and so long as they were born in this country, they were Liberians first, and I believe that they should be welcomed back home with open arms,” he said.

“Whether or not they are required to renounce their adopted nationalities, should be a matter of their consciences and the laws which govern their naturalization in their respective domiciles.  They should be free to make those choices and decisions.”

He also reminded the lawmakers of their role as servants of the people and called on them to strive to practice servant-leadership, whereby all their works would benefit the people of Liberia.

“Let us all exert our best effort to ensure that, in the cause of the people, the struggle must end,” he said.

In closing, the president reported to the lawmakers that the country is peaceful and full of promise.

“We are at peace with ourselves, we are at peace with our neighbors, and we are at peace with the world,” he said.

Featured by Lloyd Massah