Africa-Press – Liberia. At the close of the Eminent Women Training Activities, which sought to empower women, and youths with the knowledge to preserve Liberia’s peace, the Former Chairperson of the National Election Commission (NEC), Cllr. Frances Johnson Allison has called on all Liberians to work together and stop the violence.
Cllr. Allison, one of Liberia’s eminent women, said without Liberians seeing themselves as responsible for preserving the peace and the security of the country, Liberia would remain fragile.
She made the statement over the weekend during the official closing ceremony of the Eminent Women Training Activities, held at the Cecil Dennis Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Capitol Hill, Monrovia.
“Don’t let yourself be used to bring Liberia down just to elevate somebody, as you will be doing a disservice to Liberia. This is the only country we have and can never be deported from or to leave,” Allison said.
The Eminent Women Training Activities under the project title: “Sustainable and Inclusive Peace in Liberia through Promoting Women Leadership and Participation in Civic and Political Life and Their Strengthened Role in Conflict Resolution” focuses on the empowerment of women, girls, and the youth for the preservation of peace and ending violence.
The program, organized by the Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC) has been implemented in 20 communities in Bong and Montserrado counties. It aims to build the capacities of women and youth to serve as ambassadors of peace and engage into meaningful activities for the good of their community and Liberia at large.
“We cannot be citizens and sit down here and allow our country to go down again. Our country must not go down again. With the help of Angie Brooks, we are trying to create awareness and make you understand why Liberia went down,” Allison said.
She urged Liberians to remember that the country is bigger than any political party or candidate and, as such, the country must always be placed above anyone.
“We don’t care how you vote. Just remember you don’t have to kill each other on the way you want to vote,” she noted.
Also making remarks was Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh, the Establishment Coordinator of the Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC).
She urged women in the country to continue to be the keepers of the nation’s peace, especially at this time when the country is heading to elections.
“We are proud of you and we will continue to work in sustaining the peace of Liberia. I urge you to continue to play a meaningful role in your community and your political parties. We want you to be focused,” Chesson-Wureh challenged women.
Chesson-Wureh said the destiny of Liberia mainly lies in the hands of women who have an influential role in society and peacemaking as well as the youth who make up more than half of the country’s population.
Olubanke King-Akerele , former Foreign Affairs Minister, told the participants of the program to continue to love Liberia and put Liberia first in everything.
“We want a good future for this country and it’s what we are talking about here. Civic education is cardinal because many times you go to Ghana and you hear that the people love their country, unlike Liberia. This is because we seem to have lost our track over the past years,” Madam King-Akerele said.
Madam King-Akerele who is the current Chairperson of the Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC), said although the United States Government has sanctioned Liberian government officials, the situation reflects on the country, for which everyone should be ashamed.
According to her, if Liberia needs a good society or a different society, the citizens must start now to initiate the necessary changes and stop repeating the negative past.
“If we had corrupt people in government in the past, should we have the same today?” she asked.
Madam King-Akerele said each person must do his or her part in maintaining the peace of Liberia in a meaningful way.
“We have our own role to play in the government and we cannot sit down and say this is our time and this is the problem with Liberia but it should be the Republic of Liberia’s time.”
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
