Ngafuan Breaks Silence On 2017 Elections

Liberia’s youthful energetic Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has broken silence on the 2017 Presidential and legislative Election, propounding that he will not be inactive during the 2017 democratic exercises, reiterating that he will be active just as was the case of 2005 and 2011 elections.

“I told you two years ago that I will not be inactive, people will subject me to all kinds of speculations but I will not be drawn into any of that. As I said before I will not be inactive - the full meaning of that will be known shortly. But as a political actor, I can tell you that I will be subjected to a lot of speculations which comes with the territory. I was clear to you before and I will be clear to you again, I will not be inactive.” – Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia has disclosed.

Speaking with journalists, Minister Ngafuan said: “One thing I can assure, 2005 I was active, 2011 I was also active. Although active in the sense of contributing, managing the economy, 2017- I will not be inactive, I can assure you I will not sit idly and allow this country to retrogress, his country must continue to maintain progress and to do even better and what specific role I play in the process will be determined as time goes by. So as I sit, I leave everything to God and I leave everything with the Liberian people.”

He further reiterated that: “ I am going to play a role so I will not be dishonest with you to say that I am not going to play a role that I am going to bury myself in the high forest in Lofa. Just how as a young man working with the Central Bank, I decided not to be active in the 2005 elections, I will not be inactive in 2017. The possibilities are wide as to what specific role, but time will determine but you can rest assure that this man will play a role.”

Minister Ngafuan said for the sake of winning elections, politicians he described as wolves will behave like sheep only to get votes in the 2017 elections, warning Liberians to remember that for the sake of winning elections, even a wolf can behave like a sheep and a leopard can produce pictures of himself/herself wearing a Colgate smile while hugging babies.

“Liberia needs leaders with solid track records of achievement for country; and certainly Liberia needs nationalistic, not a tribalistic or county-centric leaders”, Minister Ngafuan cautioned. The former Minister of Finance believes that the pending election is pregnant with untold challenges and Liberians will need honest leaders.

According to Minister Ngafuan individuals who do not like the ordinary Liberian people will visit some of the worse places in Monrovia-slums only to win votes. “For the sake of winning elections, individuals who have natural disdain for ordinary people will visit places like West Point, Sonniwein, Buzzi Quarters, etc in order to distribute largesse.

In short, for the sake of winning votes, desperate individuals will subject themselves to political plastic surgeries in order to mask their true characters. It should be the duty of the voter to unmask these masqueraders and see them for what they truly are”, the staunch Unity Party partisan said.

He wants Liberians to support aspirants with proven track record of integrity and patriotism to be elected in 2017. “Probably, as the Liberian voter goes to the polls in 2017 to elect a new President, I dare say the two most important qualities that the voter must be searching for in Presidential aspirants are the qualities of integrity and patriotism”, he suggests.

Minister Ngafuan observed that as simple as these qualities are, they are fast becoming scarce commodities in the Liberian political marketplace. The Minister who has been serving the current government in various capacities including Minister of Finance said Liberia needs competent leaders as reflected in educational or professional preparation.

According to him, Liberia will need most are honest leaders with unshakable and undying love for country; leaders who will place the interest of country first and foremost; and above all, leaders who have the moral strength to choose to lose political elections instead of compromising their core values and stabbing the interest of Mama Liberia”.