Africa-Press – Liberia. The political leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander Cummings, has said the failure to harness Liberia’s national wealth towards the well-being of its citizens is in large measure linked to the failure of past and present governments.
Cummings, whose ANC is a constitute member party of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP), made the statement on September 16 when he accompanied Senator Simeon Taylor for an appreciation visit to Grand Cape Mount County.
Cummings said given the resources that the people of Grand Cape Mount County have, they should not be living in such deplorable condition, the condition he observed during his three days tour in the county.
Grand Cape Mount County has gold, iron ore, diamonds and other natural resources, but the ANC political leader said his observation established that those resources are not benefiting the livelihoods of people of the county.
Rousing welcome in Grand Cape Mount It was a scene of an eye-catching moment during the three- day visit as Cummings and Senator Taylor received a rousing welcome from every time and village they visited in the county. Speaking at the end of his tour, Cummings said his experience during the tour has left him with anger and at the same time with much optimism.
“I am leaving the county with two emotions. One is anger and the other is optimism. I am angry because the resources are leaving Grand Cape Mount County and our people are still living in abject poverty, that is unacceptable, that is something that must change,” Cummings said.
He added: “I don’t know how our current leaders, our past leaders and even these corporations, how they sleep at night, what kind of conscious do they have –taking the gold and looking at where our people are living, their condition, the lack of roads, the lack of healthcare and education facilities, it angers me.”
He said the people of Grand Cape Mount County, including every part of the country, should get the benefit of the natural resources they are having in their respective counties.
He added: “Another part of my emotion is optimism, with these resources; we can change this country ourselves. We just have to work together as a people, we have to reconcile in the Grand Cape Mount County and across the country –and if we work together; we can change our country because the resources are here”.
Cummings said Senator Taylor would be the best Senator Grand Cape Mount County had ever had because of what he plans to do for the county during his nine-year stint.
He promised to work with Senator Taylor to ensure the people of the county get a fair share of the natural resources that the county has been blessed with.
Cummings said: “We will work with Simeon to make him the best Senator Grand Cape Mount County had ever had. We keep his feet to the fire to do the things he promised the great people of this county.”
Also speaking, Senator Taylor called on the people of the county to unite for the betterment of their county. According to him, he has started reaching out to his fellows contestants from the 2020 Special Senatorial Election to move the county forward.
