Weah Criticizes Protesters Over Missing Billions

-Wants Journalists Included In Investigation

By Reuben Sei Waylaun

President George Manneh Weah has seriously criticized Liberians who stage a protest on September 24, 2018 over the mysterious disappearance of LRD16 Billion banknotes in the country.

Speaking at the Dominion Christian Fellowship Center during an intercessory ceremony for his safe arrival from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the United States of America, President Weah criticized that those protesting don’t know what they want in the country after twelve years of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration without development in the country.

According to him, whatever he did at the UNGA was in the interest of the Liberian people.

He said it is good to be in the church because it is where God listens to people whether it is true or lies especially in a country like Liberia.

“It’s good to be here. Let’s us not wish for something that we don’t want. The entire world was watching when our citizens were protesting everywhere calling on the UN, the world not to help Liberia because they believe that some LRD16 billion lost,” he said.

But President Weah reminded Liberians and those protesting that Liberia is a country that is guided by laws.

“We have a constitution and you see in this room I am the only person that don’t know the constitution because I am the only person that don’t know anything. Everyone in here is clever, but I can interpret the constitution. All of you are professor, master degree holders, but cannot understand simple rationale.

“When people ask you to be patient let the law takes it course that’s the time you rebel and you know in any rebellious act, there is causality. You think jumping in the streets is the best way. We need to change our attitude. One journalist wrote that LRD9billion lost, another journalist wrote that LRD16 billion lost and the government said let’s investigate,” he added.

According to him, based on the report, the government decided to invite international partners to aid the investigation.

He said they decided to invite the international community because they don’t want to be the judge of the investigation to determine whether it is true or not.

“You jumped in the streets calling for international sanction. The government that was in power that has right to print money you didn’t call for sanction on them. But we who haven’t asked for printing of money you want to get at us with sanction.

“We have just spent eight months in power. Please ask the senate or House of Representatives if we have written them for money to come to the country,” he noted.

President Weah disclosed that while serving as senator, he refused to sign for the printing of new banknotes because it was not good for the country especially during the campaign period in the country.

“The only reason I refused was that during campaign it was not the right time to print new money and wanted to wait for new government,” he added.

The Liberian chief executive also said the best way is to act in a peaceful manner and not to take the streets to protest.

“You saying George Weah you building your house. When we started building homes in this country, we weren’t in government. We need to be careful. Our international partners will know about our operations and even my Clar Weah will not temper with anything, so we need to be careful,” he assured.

Hypotactically, Weah questioned whether it was possible for LRD16 billion to disappear when the country’s change is LRD17billion.

“That’s you people know the book, you people are accountants. If the country’s change is LRD17billion, how possible is it for somebody to steal LRD16 billion. We have to think.

“We have a government functioning for twelve years. We were in opposition, when we get in the streets, they shoot at us and people were dying. They took guns at us and just the other day they went in the streets and police were guarding them,” he recounted.

He also said while it is true that journalists have their rights, they cannot say something that will damage the country.

“So, those journalists that said LRD16 billion lost will also be in the investigation so they can tell us where the LRD16 billion go,” he said.