PATRICK S. TOKPAH
Africa-Press – Liberia. Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe has promised to wage an unconventional approach to combating the growing level of food insecurity in the country if elected president.
Gongloe, who is a presidential candidate, strongly believes that the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) needs to be weaponized in the fight against hunger to tackle the country’s low level of agricultural productivity, which has led to severe hunger among its people.
“The Armed Forces of Liberia, under my administration, will be involved with agricultural productivity and we will not waste the country’s resources on the military in turn of salary payments when they are doing nothing to contribute to the development of the country,” Gongloe said to a cheering crowd of supporters in vote-rich Nimba County, which has become a battlegrounds counties.
Gongloe’s agriculture approach is informed by Liberia’s rich, vast, and arable land, amid the fact that the country is one of the hungriest countries in Africa with over half a million Liberians now suffering from acute food insecurity.
The FAO, in its latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, noted that hunger is at an alarming rate in Liberia — affecting a staggering number of citizens with approximately 21,500 people in emergency food insecurity levels — and over 531,000 people facing acute food insecurity.
The statistics Gongloe noted would change if the operational capacity and logistical expertise of the AFL are reappropriated toward agriculture, which would “lead to a more strategic and efficient approach to addressing food insecurity.’
He insists that such an unconventional approach is necessary in times of crisis, even if it seems unusual to some.
“The Gongloe administration will use the army for agriculture production across the 15 counties. Doing so will help reduce the importation of rice in Liberia and will help improve the living conditions of the Liberian people.”
“We have good soil for agricultural productivity and should not be spending money on rice imports. The army will be provided all the necessary support to wage war against hunger and food insecurity across the 15 counties.”
“Doing so will help reduce the importation of rice in Liberia and will help improve the living conditions of the Liberian people. The army will be provided machines for such a task,” he said.
The latest policy proposal from Gongloe, who is a former Solicitor General in the administration of former President Sirleaf has, however, not gone down well with his critics who point out potential drawbacks and risks associated with plans.
One such concern is about the diversion of military resources away from core defense duties towards agricultural activities. Critics argue that this could weaken the national security apparatus and leave the country vulnerable to external threats. Additionally, there are concerns that soldiers lack the necessary agricultural knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to farming initiatives.
Proponents of the idea, on the other hand, think that Google’s proposal is innovative and argue that the country needs fresh perspectives to tackle its long-standing challenges. The army, they argue, is a multi-disciplinary institution, and many soldiers possess transferable skills that can be utilized to boost agricultural efforts.
The contentious nature of Google’s proposal would, however, trigger heated debates among other presidential candidates who are eying for the President as they seek to woo voters with their own perspective on agriculture.
Meanwhile, Gongloe has further told voters in Nimba that Liberia’s backwardness is the result of bad leadership and accountability issues.
He accuses past and current leaders of failing to positively impact the lives of Liberians, even with an abundance of natural resources at their disposal.
“This country is blessed with natural resources and rich soil, but the country has been victimized as a result of leadership and bankruptcy.
“Corruption is keeping more children out of school because their parents cannot afford to send them to school,” Gongloe added. “Corruption has made it impossible for Liberians to travel in most parts of Liberia, especially in Southeastern Liberia during the rainy season. Corruption is a weapon of mass destruction.”
Gongloe who is highly respected for his high level of integrity believes that among all the other presidential candidates including President George Weah and former Vice President Joseph Boakai, he is the best to tackle the issue of bad governance and corruption hands down.
He claimed that if elected, his government would be open, transparent, and accountable as all public officials will publish their assets, salaries, and benefits.
“We will tell the people that LPP believes in operating an open, transparent, and accountable government with the assets, salaries, and benefits of the president, the vice president, the Speaker, President Pro Tempore, the lawmakers, the Chief Justice, justices and judges, as well as all public service employees, made known to the people of Liberia by publishing same on a government website,” Gongloe said in a pitch to voters over the weekend.
He vowed to mobilize and motivate the Liberian people by showing a good example for all Liberians to collectively sweep corruption from Liberia.
“The number one task of the Liberian People’s Party is to lead the Liberian people in the battle against corruption. We must collectively form a movement against this notorious enemy of Liberia,” Gongloe added.
Meanwhile, Gongloe’s campaign launch in Ganta, Nimba County witnessed an endorsement from a ground calling himself disenchanted coordinators and zonal heads of Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) of Alexander Cummings.
The group believes that Gongloe is the most suitable candidate to lead Liberia and has committed to campaigning vigorously for his election.
Source: Liberian Observer
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