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Speaking to Liberia’s Legislative Assembly on Monday, President George Weah said the country’s real GDP fell three percent in 2020, largely due to coronavirus lockdowns, a decline in trade international and travel disruption. He pledged to “reset the fundamentals of monetary policy” to address the liquidity shortages. In the meantime, RFI is reviewing the progress made in achieving its key promises.
Free college courses, more road construction and increased access to sports are among the political promises that are bearing fruit in Liberia for former footballer George Weah as he celebrates three years as president.
“For us, coming from an environment where our parents are not economically strong and facing challenges, the free tuition policy really helps us,” said Gabriel Dakpeh, chemistry specialist at the University of Liberia.
Free education at public universities was a key policy of George Weah, and is one of the strengths of his administration, contrasted with a stagnant economy, a shortage of banknotes, a defeat in the recent elections and questions about his declaration of assets.
“I can tell you that it helps a lot of students, us from the bottom of society,” said Dakpeh, 28, a beneficiary of the policy, during a recent break on campus. “I can tell you that it helps a lot of families.”
Students used to pay their tuition fees per module studied, forcing less economically advantaged students to take out loans. Politics is key to helping the poorest in society, according to Weah, who himself grew up in one of Monrovia’s slums.
Paid courses at private universities in Liberia remain an option for those who can afford to pay.
Has the quality dropped?
A cautious note is taken by some who claim that education standards have deteriorated since the policy introduced by Weah.
“We don’t have access to a lot of things now,” said Mustafa Kemal, an economics and math student.
“Before we had access to buses, we had access to clean water, we had access to clean latrines and teachers did not take people’s money for stationery,” added Kemal, a member of the group. students of the Vanguard Student Reunification Party.
Weah’s government allocated more than $ 40 million for education, which is less than then-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s last budget.
The government individual allocation for the University of Liberia, for example, remains stable at around $ 16 million, but with an additional budget line of $ 1.4 million for the free tuition policy.
Service roads
Infrastructure development is the other policy area of the Weah government’s trumpets, highlighting the progress made in road construction.
The Liberian president notably promised to build a major highway along the coast, connecting the county of Montserrado, the most populous part of the country, to the isolated southeast.
“A lot of work has been done, and is underway, to ensure that before the end of the President’s first term, substantial work on road development will be done,” said Nathaniel McGill, Minister of State for presidency.
An analysis by the Liberian think tank Naymote, which periodically tracks Weah’s promises, found that the government had made limited progress.
“The government has made substantial efforts in the area of infrastructure, mainly roads,” Naymote’s report released in January said. “Despite this effort, investments in roads have been concentrated on feeder roads in Monrovia and neighboring communities.”
A funding deal worth nearly US $ 1 billion to help finance the construction of some 800 kilometers of road was approved by the Liberian parliament, but fell under the purview of the International Monetary Fund, which criticized the lack of transparency.
The Liberia Ministry of Public Works is responsible for the government’s road construction program, but has not been able to confirm the number of kilometers of road the Weah government has built, despite requests from RFI.
The government admits it had to cut back its ambitious road building program, highlighting the debt accumulated during Sirleaf’s tenure.
Nonetheless, Liberians will continue to see more progress over the last three years of Weah’s administration, according to McGill, often seen as Weah’s right-hand man.
Pushing the Liberia national team
Sport is another portfolio in Weah’s government that some see as a success during his first three years in office.
“Since his rise to the presidency, comparing the past few years, sport has improved in the country,” said Ronald Mends-Cole, general secretary of Invincible Eleven football club.
Weah played for Invincible Eleven in the 1980s before his career catapulted him into the elite football leagues of France, Italy and England. The team are currently languishing in the third division, although they intend to regain their promotion to the Premier League of Liberia.
The former footballer’s government is pushing Liberian sportsmen and women to participate in more international competitions, supporting national teams with funds for travel.
“You see all the national teams – under 17, under 20, the senior national team – all are now traveling, competing in regional tournaments,” Mends-Cole said, citing the importance of high level competitions. .
“Especially the women’s division, they were encouraged,” he added, referring to the Liberia national women’s football team.
The government’s budget for sports has increased slightly since Weah became president, reaching $ 3.4 million, according to the last budget.
The president is doing his best
Despite the government’s efforts to promote their achievements in Weah’s first three years in office, the opposition casts doubt on the supposed progress.
“We cannot say that President Weah has had the first three years of success,” said Alexander Cummings, leader of the Collaborative Political Parties (PPC), an opposition coalition group.
“The fact that President Weah built a few kilometers of road, the fact that education is free, but the quality of education has deteriorated,” he added.
McGill, presiding minister of state, said Weah didn’t have a magic wand for all of Liberia’s ailments, but believed the president would do his best.
“They elected him, he is very determined to turn the situation around, to fight for their condition, to improve the situation for them,” McGill said, referring to the loss in the December election.
“Is everything going to change? No, ”says McGill. “But will the president make an effort?” Yes.”
(Additional reporting by Darlington Porkpa)
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