The Quest for Political Power: A need for Change!

By: Stephen Johnson

The quest for national leadership and political power has been an issue that has engulfed the Liberian state since its inception. This quest has lead to series of brutal civil crises which claimed the lives of millions of our people. This conflict did not only destroy the socio-economic political fabric of the society, but also shattered the family and community networks and the social services that are crucial in constructing a foundation for sustained growth.

It created a nation polarized with individual who are bend on enriching themselves at the expense of the mass of people and yet they see themselves as the true leader of a group of impoverished people. These political and fortune hunters continue to masquerade in the corridors of power with the sole purpose of amassing wealth and building flashy homes and attractive bank balances overseas while the country lies in filths and mass underdevelopment, illiteracy, and poverty.

They lack any form of nationalism and or patriotism to the country, they literally see Liberia as a farmland where they can come, hustle and flee thus giving creed to the 3 Gs theory which is simply, the get, grab and go mentality. This mentality has eaten the very fabric of love for country thereby rendering our people to be reduced to mere beggars surviving on less than fifty United States cents a day and handouts.

Our people continue to live in the airtight cages of poverty and unendurable sufferings while a few, very few live in extreme luxury-something which violates the concept of equal distribution of wealth in economics. This sharp economic disparity has resulted to a collapse in the social support system such as education, food, security and health. The accumulation of these risk factors has condemned people into a vicious cycle of poverty and social exclusion thereby making them vulnerable for recruit into groups for banditry (the youth especially).

For too long, true leadership has eluded our people, for too long, our people continue to suffer. It is about time that we develop a renewed sense of love for country especially as Liberia goes through this period of speedy Risorgimento; this desire must be buttressed by a high level of volunteerism and developing the concept of ownership. We must take charge of our own destiny and do it with vigor and fortitude while shifting the paradigm.

Long Live Liberia! Long Live the People of Liberia! May God bless the works of our hands and save our common patrimony, LIBERIA!

Youth Development in Liberia (An excerpt).

By: Stephen Johnson

Liberia's youth face many challenges in gaining an education either through academic or vocation that delivers them the right set of skills and knowledge demanded to become productive in today's labor market. As a result, the transition from school to work is more often than not unsuccessful such that youth end up either unemployed or underemployed in the rural, suburban and urban informal sectors.

To address these different phenomenons, I have first presented an overview about the importance of human capital in the labor market integration process before turning to the current situation being faced by Liberian youth. Based on these and many significant contributions, recommendations for policies are outlined highlighting the responses national Government and policymakers need to take in order to address the many problems and this must be done with overriding priority.

In the situation where youth are unable to make the much needed transition to the workforce after completing either academic or vocational training, government must ensure an active labor market initiative which target the youth with the requisite training and other measures that would adequately prepare them for job readiness. Ignoring these issues will only result to a sharp decrease in economic growth plus its indirectly related outcomes such as violence, conflict, mass illiteracy and poor health care etc, etc. Developing a robust educational and employment program which creates opportunity for Liberian youth must now become a significant priority of the government of Liberia.