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Liberian Friends:
As we watch the rapidly declining economy of our country, I have struggled to find the root cause of this giant-sized economic problem and the backwardness we face as a nation. I have not come to blame the government led by President George M. Weah, its officials or its predecessors, but to point out a major misstep and slippage that we committed / made many years ago and continue to do. to do as a country. To better understand, let’s resume the discussion of the genesis that dates back to 1847.
Liberia gained independence in 1847, making it the first and oldest independent African nation. The nation’s founding fathers and the first group of leaders, unfortunately, failed to define a clear vision for inclusive political and economic governance within the new Liberian state. This led to a path of social, political and economic division, where the indigenous population was marginalized for almost a century.
As history has shown us time and time again, marginalized societies or individuals tend to fight against the system that suppresses them. At the same time, the elite or the privileged class are likely to do everything in their power to maintain the status quo, due to the enormous benefits they and their families and buddies enjoy. The Liberian state was therefore no exception. As more indigenous Liberians and their supporters thin out many years after our independence, indigenous people revolt against the elite, leading to the 1979 Rice Riot, the 1980 military coup and the Liberian Civil War of 1989, which lasted 14 years. , claiming many casualties and displacing others both in and out of the process.
The administration of former Liberian President William VS Tubman, which lasted for 27 years (1944-1971), arrived and was widely criticized, although it experienced impressive economic growth amid the turmoil. During the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s, the large iron ore sector attracted substantial foreign investment; and by 1975 Liberia had become the world’s fifth largest exporter of iron ore. I consider this a manual work of Tubman-Tolbert. This has placed Liberia at a very high level in the world market! From 1946 to 1960, the Tubman administration also attracted over $ 500 million in foreign investment; while exports increased from US $ 15.8 million in 1948 to US $ 82.6 million in 1960. This was an increase of 422.8 percent! Government revenues during this period also increased from US $ 32.4 million in 1960 to US $ 69.9 million in 1971. This represents an increase of 115.7%! History tells me that the nation’s economy was growing at a very high speed! The world applauded Mama Liberia among other nations in the sub-region! Undoubtedly, this period has seen the face of Liberia’s best economy since the formation of this country. Look for it! The recordings are clear !!
Above all, it was “growth without development” because huge sums of money ended up in the pockets of government officials. This remarkable miraculous economic growth that took place in Liberia did not translate into inclusive economic development, which set the agenda for future political and social instability (and the 14-year civil war that followed from 1989 to 2003). As successive rulers and governments have continued without correcting the wrongs of the past, our country has grown from a period of prosperity to one of the most underdeveloped and poorest nations in the world today. Liberia, although it is still considered the primary global host for TIMBER and other resources, we remain the poorest country in the world.
Today, while Liberia remains one of Africa’s natural resource hubs, Liberians are the hungriest and poorest of all men to roam this land. This is paradoxical ; yet it is true and a dominant reality! Interestingly, this situation (rich country, poor country) is not only found in Liberia. Many countries have experienced this situation to the same extent and even worse than Liberia. But they managed to get out of it! An example is Botswana. Botswana was able to escape this by adopting tough but necessary approaches! But what should we do when we are torn between this congau and indigenous feeling? How can we when our leaders are very corrupt, unpatriotic and morally bankrupt? How can we do? After taking what belongs to the state for their personal benefit, they are manipulating the minds of our people using the congau and indigenous long-term argument. It’s sad!
For Liberia to break the charm of the rich-poor country phenomenon, the following measures, which are not exhaustive, must be put forward. These measures, I presume, are likely to have a significant positive impact on the Liberian state if they are prioritized and integrated into political decision-making.
First, the culture of wealth grabbing and rent seeking (CORRUPTION) should be discouraged in Liberian society at all levels, as these are potential indicators of conflict and high determinants of poverty. For this to become a reality, wealth grabbers and rent seekers must not be allowed to leave with impunity to profit from their loot. They must be brought to justice and held accountable for their actions under a transparent and accountable system of governance. This means that the judiciary and law enforcement mechanisms through the statutory institutions established to fight corruption and rent-seeking (such as the Anti-Corruption Commission, the General Audit Commission, etc.) must be strengthened. Along this path, investors must be compelled to abide by all investment conditions enshrined in all signed agreements, including payment of taxes and fees and corporate social responsibilities to beneficiary communities and residents.
In addition, a performance management system should be introduced in the public sector with well-defined job descriptions for all officials who should be assessed on a (periodic) or annual basis depending on their performance and the results achieved. In addition, acts of opportunism, nepotism, favoritism and special interests should be discouraged and hated at all levels of governance, while institutionalizing a strong merit-based recruitment system in the public sector.
Second, it is a known fact that heavy dependence on income from primary products is not sustainable. Sustainability is only ensured if the economy is diversified and investments are made in other sectors such as the agricultural sector (where modern farming methods will ensure food security) and the manufacturing sector, with an emphasis on on import substitution industries. In addition, efforts should be made to create a value chain with primary products, where more benefits for the nation and its people will be maximized. This would imply abandoning the export of products in their primary forms in favor of secondary / tertiary products. To underpin these efforts, the government should strive to invest substantially in a knowledge-based economy, drawing on the nation’s best talent to ensure and secure sustainable development in Liberia. This can only be achieved when our country’s money stops entering the deep pockets of government officials!
Last but not the least, efforts should be made to put in place systems and institutions to facilitate the migration from obsolete methods of doing business in the public sector. This will greatly reduce and / or eliminate bad practices in the public sector. However, this will depend heavily on strong political will, commitment and strong leadership at the highest political level (including the Presidency). In addition, in order to break the spell of rich and poor Liberia, we should also include the right mix of committed politicians and bureaucrats; appropriate policy analysts with available and reliable information (assistants); management of hostile and apathetic groups (demons); and isolating the political environment from the vagaries of implementation (systems). This certainly suggests a good governance approach as a precondition for Liberia to escape the spell of the rich and poor country phenomenon and repair our crumbling economy. This cannot be done when we hold the congau and indigenous (indigenous) feeling firmly!
Liberia is a great nation with demanding global resources including timber, iron ore, gold, etc. Believe me, with honest government, the monetary value of the timber in Grand Kru Forest is enough to transform the lives of many Liberians. We MUST rethink and act like Liberians, NOT like natives or congau. If a congau is inept and corrupt, he should not be protected because he is congau, as well as native. By this, the nation will rise up !!
About the Author:
Thomas Wilbur Davis is President and Political Leader Emeritus of the Student Unification Alliance (SUA), a student political party at William VS Tubman University. He is the founder of the Allies Anti-Repression (ARA), a youth-based pressure group in southeast Liberia. He is currently studying for a master’s degree in Sweden.
Contact: [email protected]
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