Liberia: Call for Swift Governance Course Correction

It has long been held that "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. " Liberia, a country that takes delight in its historical status as the "the oldest Independent African Republic," is clearly trapped in just this kind of situation--in terms leadership and governance. Over 179 years since its so-called 'Independence", the country of less than six million people should have by now become an Upper-middle income country, boasting a high quality of life for its people. Sadly, the reality is anything but--with the West African country not even being considered as a Lower-middle income country (at the levels of Kenya or India). The enduring debate on what keeps this long-existing, resource-rich nation in a state of arrested development relative to many other African countries that are far and away younger than Liberia, will continue ad infinitum--beginning from the missteps of the founding fathers for not establishing a solid foundational basis for the country, to the proven lack of vision on the part of successive governments to put the country on an irreversible path of modernization, complete with accompanying infrastructure and social services. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Whatever argument wins the day in the continuing conversation over which generation should be blamed for the country's patent and persistent underdevelopment and impoverishment, is of little significance at this point. Of more relevance now is that Africa's oldest independent African Republic needs an urgent socio-political course correction if it is to emerge from its continuing and embarrassing designation as one of the poorest countries in the world--with over 51% of the country's population below the national poverty line, 81% of its rural population considered poor, its infrastructure architecture among the least in the sub-region, and its quality of education lagging behind that of many African countries. To reverse these developmental deficits, Liberia needs a radical and strategic realignment in its governance model which, after over a century and three quarters of existence, has served little national purpose. Over this period, election cycle after election cycle in the country has, at best, brought about more of the same, and at worst, even more hardship for the people. And despite years of so-called revolutions and prolonged, bloody civil conflicts, successive leaders have still not developed the vision and sense of purpose to redirect the country from this entrenched "same old, same old" governance mentality toward one that focuses more on providing the basic needs of their people." Every successive administration and leadership have tended to give rise to a disturbing situation where the elite political class engages in a mad scramble for individual material enrichment and partisan advantage. Such deep-rooted governance culture is characterized by personal material acquisition, defalcation, patronage, power greed, executive overreach, ethnic toxicity, nepotism, and a mentality of Everyone for himself/herself, and God for us all." Maintaining such a system will continue to foster a socio-political environment that is perennially antithetical to the progress of the country, and the wellbeing of its majority underprivileged citizens. The country therefore needs to undertake internal fundamental changes in a deliberate and targeted effort to alter this situation --starting with all three branches of government, especially the legislature and the executive. The process will require constitutional amendments and coordinated citizens actions. For example, the present bicameral legislature (consisting of the House and the Senate) should be scrapped in favor of a unicameral (single) chamber. In effect, the Senate should be abolished, and all lawmakers consolidated into a single House of Representatives. Such a structural rearrangement will reduce the number of legislators and cut down on