Our friend Representative Solomon George of Montserrado County Districvt#7 is unhappy about a nickname ascribed to him in our last editorial for which he called this paper and expressed so. Sorry; we did not in any manner or shape intend to disrespect the Montserrado lawmaker.
And if Rep. George felt insulted or disrespected for the nickname ascribed to him in that editorial, we use this medium to publicly apologize.
Notwithstanding, we vehemently maintain our opposition to his recent call for President George Manneh Weah to ban student politics at the University of Liberia or in schools across the country. We think the call by Rep. Gorge is not only preposterous but highly disgraceful and disappointing. It is an ill-advice to the President from a blind loyalist that does not see beyond his nose.
For the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker to question whether the campus-based Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) at the University of Liberia a political party is clearly demonstrates that he is power-possessed and speaks like someone, who has never entered the classroom.
We wonder what fear Rep. George for which has he wants student politics banned in the country. Isn’t he aware that this one of many extra-curriculum activities that allow students to demonstrate their potentials and talents for future responsibility?
We reiterate that the recent July 26 Independence Day violence before the Embassy of the United States near Monrovia was master-minded and executed by the CDC-Council of Patriots, not members of SUP. Instead, the victims were students of the University of Liberia.
The only wrong they did for which they were brutalized was to peacefully call on the government to address the excruciating hardship in the country that has made the learning environment unconducive for them.
The rampant human rights abuses, mysterious deaths and arbitrary killings by state security forces under the Weah administration are not the works of students, including massive corruption and flagrant constitutional breaches that Liberians and the international community continue to lament on.
On the contrary, it is innocent and peaceful students across the country, who are enduring the scorches of pillage and loot by public officials which denies them opportunities for a better future.
It is sad that the Montserrado District#7 lawmaker would ignore the plight of his constituents – the neglected people of the township of West Point and surroundings in the current county tour of the President, and rather called for a ban on student politics. How does this benefit his people directly?
Representative George should rather advocate for his district to benefit better schools, toilets and health facilities than focusing his energies on something that does not in any way interfere with his role as a lawmaker or the governance of the State. Students do not contest in national elections, but it is their right under the Constitution to express reservation about how the country is governed.
The government and its officials, including the likes of Rep. George seem to be terrified by reaction from the United States Government against unabated public corruption in the Weah administration that has led the American Treasury to designate three confidants of President Weah.
The CDC lawmaker should rather advise the President to take steps against officials bent on tarnishing his government and the country’s image than seeking to prey on suffering innocent students, who hardly find a decent daily meal because their parents are jobless, primarily due to the appalling economic situation prevailing in Liberia.