By Our Correspondent in Monrovia
Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh, Jr., a core member of the Progressives of yesteryear and former National Security Advisor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says his presidency is the best panacea for stability and national security in Liberia.
This is the first time Dr. Fahnbulleh, now Standard-bearer of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP), has spoken since he resigned his National Security Advisor position. He is one of several politicians seeking the highest office. Fahnbulleh spoke Sunday night, July 30, in Monrovia on the ensuing October 10, 2017 Representatives and Presidential elections.
Fahnbulleh, one time education and foreign minister in the slain President Samuel Doe regime, says President Sirleaf’s approach for change is something he has the zest to continuing with the dream of completing the goals of the president, if given the opportunity by the Liberian people through the ballot box. He claims President Sirleaf is well focused in getting the country where she wants it to be, and he feels if he emerges as winner the starting point would be to build on the solid foundation of the president.
Fahnbulleh pointed out that he’s better placed for the kind of leadership that the country needs at this point in time. He added that if he wins he would instill stability and enhance national security, noting, “Security will be high on my agenda of transforming Liberia for the better.”
“My attention is people centered, mobilizing the young people, grass root people, bring on board civil society organizations, where everyone can come on the table and discuss together,” he said.
According to him, civil society and the business community will play greater role in the policy making that will affect the economy of the state. He stressed that no one man has monopoly over wisdom, ideas, the collective approach of thousand people is far better than one brilliant man.
“As a young man, my presumption about our country is there were many patriots but now as old man, my thought was wrong because there are many patriots but with approaches and different styles, so the best option is to tap in these approaches and everyone contributions to the development agenda of the country,” he said.
On the corruption in government, Fahnbulleh said that corruption is the least thing he thinks about on grounds that corruption can be handled by going back in the audit reports conducted by the General Auditing Commission and findings can be used to prosecute those who are liable.
Dr. Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh was educated in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kenya and the United States. He graduated from Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone having studied politics, philosophy, and history. He gained his graduate degree in politics from Howard University in Washington DC, and his doctorate from George Washington University in political philosophy and international politics.
He has lectured at the University of Liberia and also served as Minister of Education and of Foreign Affairs in the Tolbert and Doe Liberian governments from 1978 to 1983. He was a “prominent” member of the Liberian NGO, Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) in the 1970s. It was during this period that the decision was taken to change the Liberian university calendar from the calendar year (roughly February–November) to September–July/August.
