Liberian university graduates
Photo: lr.chineseembassy.org

The US-based Emancipation Movement of Liberia (EMOL) is urging Liberian President George Weah to create an Equal Fighting Chance Opportunity or EFCO scholarship fund in the amount of US $20 million by an act of legislation.
 
EMOL said the local scholarship project will motivate all children in all the 134 administrative districts, 73 electoral districts, 15 counties to aspire for higher education.

EMOL, headed by Jarwinken Wiah, is a non-profit and non-partisan peace building and advocacy organization.

It is legalized in Liberia as a member of the Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) and accredited by the National Elections Commission (NEC) and also legalized in the United States as a 501 (c) organization.

EMOL said the EFCO scholarship fund should be available for students in Science and Technology, Medical College, Engineering College, Agriculture, Teacher College among others disciplines to be determined.
 
EMOL said qualification for the EFCO scholarship funds must only require one to make and maintain certain grade level for continued eligibility at the University of Liberia and other local universities. 
 
EMOL said the creation of the Equal Fighting Chance Opportunity or EFCO scholarship funds was one of the key reasons the Liberian people voted for President Mr. Weah over the former Vice President Boakai and 18 other candidates for the presidency.
 
EMOL said the EFCO scholarship funds will enable all Liberian children regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, tradition, political orientation or affiliation, religion, disability and ascribed status to compete fiercely.

To make this concrete, EMOL is recommending the investment of 25% of the country’s income investment in education in addition to cutting high salaries and allowances in favor of the Liberian children who are the future to make Liberia a productive country in manufacturing of goods.
 
According to EMOL the creation EFCO scholarship funds will motivate every desirous child in every corner of Liberian to recognize that he or she can  compete to make a difference for self-growth, the country and the world.
 
Every child will have a fighting chance opportunity without worrying about receiving or having a special support or connection, relationship, or wealthy parents or families, the organization noted.
 
EMOL averred that this will motivate many Liberian children to aspire for higher education, including inventions that will put Liberia on global map. This will truly mark the beginning of the “Love of Liberty Brought US Here.”  Transparent administration of EFCO will attract voluntary contributions from Liberians at home and abroad. This will as well attract goodwill from non-Liberians and International institutions once this is run outside political influence. 
  
EMOL said President Weah should consider this recommendation as a reciprocation of the Liberian people who took a bet on him as he was the inexperienced candidate in the crowded field. 
 
EMOL said the president has the political capital to call for a referendum should the lawmakers vote down such presidential proposal for a legislative action.  This will also make the president a true “Country Giant” for the majority of Liberians whose livelihoods rely on the mercy of nature.

The movement reminded President Weah that registered voters in 14 of the 15 counties voted for Equal Fighting Chance Opportunity (EFCO) overwhelmingly over former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai to end the old political culture, which allows the presidency to run the country as a patronage political network.

Patronage political network, it said, is a political system that muscularly personalized the role of the state in which the political leaders have taken over the service provision activities of the state.

EMOL said the pay cut proposed by President Weah is an example of political patronage network.
 
EMOL said while the reduction of salaries in Liberia is a long overdue right thing to do, the proper way is by a legislation to cut high salaries and allowances of all the three branches of government.

EMOL said President Weah’s should have first explained to the Liberian people the reason for the cuts, how many government employees, how much were they making, how much will the cuts be in dollars and cents, and most importantly what will these cuts go towards.

EMOL said the failure by President Weah and his team to go through the legislators is the kind of governance, which has adverse effects for true development.

This is also why majority of the Liberian population lost hope in the government’s ability to be there for everyone but for only those in their political camp or network, which is why there is no public empowering project for ordinary Liberians in nearly 171 years, a release from the organization noted.