When the president has to give directives to remove garbage from the streets of Monrovia, or to remove squatters or looters from the foot of the Gabriel Tucker’s bridge, it suggests that some officials are not doing their jobs. Monrovia is a small city and I can’t believe these officials don’t know what’s going on. Or perhaps they know what’s going on but they’re waiting for their boss to tell them what to do? It is ridiculous that the president has to make a frustrating comment about this and that before people get into action. What kind of incompetence is that? I think I would be fired from my job if my boss had to repeat himself constantly for the same task or for something that is part of my job. What can’t people be proactive?

Liberians have a tendency to criticize the “imperial presidency” but if you consider the preceding scenarios then one would understand why the president might become imperial. Some of these officials are darn right incompetent. It seems everyone wants a fat budget before they get anything done because that way they’ll be able to lick their hands.

With Liberia’s meager resources, officials need to be more creative. For example, instead of waiting to build a new Police headquarters or some other important government building which might not happen for a long time, apply a coat of paint, do some landscaping and it will make a huge difference. For example, to paint the building in one weekend, you buy some paint, food, and organize a weekend painting project and the entire building would be painted in a single weekend. There are many idle teens in Monrovia that would be willing to join hands to paint for development. Fellow Liberians, development does not have to cost an “arm and a leg” like they say in America. Let’s make the most of what we have and not wait for USAID or NGOs to rebuild our country because it will not happen. It is our responsibility to rebuild Liberia, not the NGOs.

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