You have been on numerous occasions Minister of Planning and Economic affairs, so let me ask you first how do you feel to be back home?
I feel it is a challenge and these are difficult times. There is so much to be done with so little. The economy is one of the most critical problems at this time. Getting the economy revitalized is one of the most important issues now, and even looking at the entire planning process trying to put a system in place for planning for the entire Nation. I see it as a big challenge, coming back to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs again.
Does your return to this Ministry mark a new beginning or just a continuation process?
A new beginning, a period where we need to see whether we can try to put together all the pieces and concretize them to move ahead. Of course in doing so, you have to take into consideration what has been done by your predecessors. I don't believe in coming in and creating a clean slate, if you do that it would take you longer if you're to proceed. It is important to take into consideration the positive things that your predecessor have achieved, what you can build upon and then your own vision on how you can move forward.
So from where do you start?
First, you start by looking at the institution, looking at where the problems are, the weaknesses, the areas in terms of priority, see what can be strengthened, your manpower requirement, identify motivation for the manpower to build up the kind of team you need to implement the activities of the Ministry. Then of course logistic and other support needed to facilitate the work. In short building the institutional capacity is crucial.
What would be the first measures to be implemented?
The first measure is to look at the manpower capacity, you know your mandate, you know what this Ministry is supposed to be doing in terms of economic management, planning, statistics. The database has been completely destroyed there are even a lot of distortion now. One of the important areas is building the statistical delivery system to provide the database for areas such as health, education and so on. You need a strong statistical delivery system in place that will support the management of the economy as a whole and the planning process. Then you have to look at the entire planning system, economic management and aid coordination, which is one of our priorities here as well as resource mobilization. You have to relate resource mobilization to image building because the country's image must be built, you must come up with a strategy for resource mobilization that will be supported by whatever limited resources your country has. You therefore have to look at the strategy for resource mobilization and relate it to building the image of the country. You have to look at all of these things in the process, and come up with clear priorities. Monitoring and Evaluation of Programs and Projects are also important and coordinating this program is equally important. All of the programs/projects that come into place must be monitored and evaluated. Whether it is external assistance in support of the projects, or projects locally financed. A strong system must be in place for monitoring and evaluating to ensure that targets are met. Effective utilization of resources and transparency are crucial, particularly during this critical period.
How would you rate the attitude of the international community towards Liberia?
I believe this is the whole question of image building and I am happy when people like you come in here and assess things on the ground. If you listen to the assessment out there, it's all negative to the point where you feel nothing positive is happening in Liberia. We need to do a lot about information flow towards the international community on some of the positive things happening in Liberia. There are things that might not be 100 percent, which must be addressed. Efforts must be made to address these in the context of good governance in order to restore confidence in the economy, for the people to feel free to come in here and invest. We must have a program, a strategy for sensitizing the international community on the reality of what is happening here. This is an area where we will have to work on seriously with proper coordination involving the relevant agencies and the private sector. Image building is important for our success in rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery of the economy. At this juncture let me cite an example, Mozambique had massive help from the international community following the crisis in that country. Today, Liberia finds herself in a similar situation. The world must therefore be sensitized to the reality of what has happened in Liberia. This must be supported with serious efforts internally to ensure that we prioritize and utilize what little resources we are mobilizing to do things, which will reflect positive signs. Continued positive signs will encourage the donor community to come in and support us
How would you rate the level of investment that has been coming into the country?
I believe that the investment has not reached a point where you can say it is where it should be. This is a country that is coming out of crisis and, as I told you, there is a whole question of capacity building; you have mechanisms that were in place before the crisis; in dealing with the international community, this is being gradually done. Basic facilities and infrastructure must be restored to encourage investors. This is also being gradually done. Political stability and security are of major concern to investors. Everything must be done to reestablish government to government contact, now that an elected government is in place, while encouraging private investors. | This is why I keep emphasizing the point of image building, of selling Liberia out there, sensitizing the international community including investors of the reality of Liberia. We have had some assistance mainly through NGOs and few investors have come in, for which I thank the international community, but I call upon our donors and international partners to do more for Liberia. We will perform to ensure that whatever they give as assistance will be applied with transparency, and ensuring the existence of an enabling environment for investors. Given the magnitude of our problems, we need to encourage investors to come in to create jobs for our people, as the public sector cannot absorb everyone. The private sector is the sector we must focus on.
Privatization is one of the main issues to be addressed. At this stage there is no calendar for privatization. When do you expect this process to take place?
The government has pronounced privatization as one of its main undertakings. Definitely government has pronounced its commitment to privatize, especially some of these public corporations. You know the public corporations are at a point where a lot has to be done in terms of assessing their assets and liabilities. Many of them have incurred liabilities, so we must have a feel of those liabilities. Then the question is asked to those interested, are they willing to take over these liabilities? Information must also be put into place about these Public Corporations for privatization. This will serve as a basis for making sound decisions as far as privatization is concerned. A Program must be formulated for the entire plan and process for privatization. Another point of privatization is the end result, the end benefit? Are you privatizing in a way where you have foreign investors coming in and taking away everything without benefits for your citizens? I believe privatization should include the citizens of Liberia. Even if you privatize, there must be some equity participation where a certain percentage of share will be put aside for the citizens of this country. This is the kind of package, I foresee, a combination of international and national benefits.
Are you advocating the creation of a Liberian stock exchange?
Eventually, if this is done it is important that we consider the interest of the Liberians. Citizens must actively participate in the economy. This is the new direction I see for this new Liberia, making every opportunity possible for participation of Liberians in every sphere of the economy. Even as we consider the creation of a Liberian stock exchange benefits accrued to Liberians should be crucial.
What has been your main achievement as former Minister of Commerce?
For the time I spent in the Ministry of Commerce a lot was achieved. I went in there and was able to sensitize the employees about professionalism. They got to know that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry should be a professional Ministry. We were able to establish links with the relevant international community; work on Standards, because during the crisis a lot of poor quality goods flooded the market. A Committee comprising the ministries of Health, Agriculture and Commerce was put in place to cooperate in the area of standard quality control. A quality control laboratory was being built, which is about completed. The working environment improved, capacity building programs were implemented. Programs were put in place to encourage the promotion and development of Small Medium scale Enterprises. Relationship with the informal sector and the business sector were enhanced. We established relationship with developing countries like Ghana where we had our first study tour to gain practical experience of small/ medium scale industries programs and operations in that country. Cooperation with Ghana in ten areas, which they have expertise had been identified and possibilities existed to concretize these arrangements after the elections in Ghana. In close collaboration with the Liberian Business Association, a package on a phase to phase approach implementation of the Liberianization Law, giving certain businesses exclusively to Liberians as an encouragement was completed, but I left Commerce unexpectedly without making the pronouncement. A Business and Trade Directory for Liberia had been completed, for publication. All this was done with God's direction and help. I leave Commerce with no regret. I believe people can see my footprints at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and I thank the staff, which has been very cooperative. |
MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS