By Kennedy L . Yangian"Whose money am I wasting? The Liberian people own money? If building a strong private sector is a waste of money, I say no to that", Dr. J. Mills Jones, Governor, Central Bank of Liberia
Monrovia - Believed to be harboring a presidential run in 2017, Central Bank of Liberia Governor, Dr. J. Mills Jones has been frequenting the various counties of Liberia using a loan scheme and the financial empowerment program by the CBL to improve his relationship with the locals and increase his popularity. Governor Jones critics say he is using state resources to foster his political agenda, and it is a waste of resources, but the Governor insists that giving back to the Liberian people is not a waste.
The Central Bank micro-loan scheme under the watch of Governor Jones with the sole aim to empower small Liberian businesses across the country continues to win him admiration whenever he travels across the country. On Saturday Dr. Jones paid a three -day visit to the South Eastern counties of Sinoe and Grand Gedeh with his first start in Greenville City, where he had gone to perform dedication for the opening of a rural financial institution in that county.
Addressing a mammoth crowd in Greenville, Governor Jones rebuffed claims that he is wasting state resources arguing that his endeavor is empowering many Liberians. According to the governor some Liberians are claiming that he is wasting the Liberian people money by giving out a micro loan to empower Liberians. "Whose money am I wasting? The Liberian people own money? If building a strong private sector is a waste of money, I say no to that", said Governor Jones.
Governor Jones continued that there is a need for other parts of the country to have access to small money to build up their lives and that Monrovia is not Liberia adding that Liberians have to change the way they do things.
Good to us
The CBL Governor got a heroic welcome not only as a citizen of that county, but for his role in empowering Liberian businesses, a local business woman said. "You see plenty of us coming out here today is because this man is good to us", said Hawa Borbor Secretary General of the Alsawoan Financial (Kru dialect) one of the groups in Greenville that welcomed the CBL Governor.
The Alsawoan Financial Organization based in Blonkongay, Sinoe County is composed mainly of 46 women who are currently benefitting a LD$ 200,000 micro loan from the CBL to empower the group to be paid within the period of three years according to smiling Secretary General Hawa.
Besides Alsawoan women's group, representatives from across every district of the county, wearing white T-shirts with the photograph of Governor Jones, marketeers, students all turned out in large number to greet the governor upon arrival. Posters were placed at several parts of the main streets of the city in honor of the governor some of which read, "welcome home Dr. Mills Jones you are a true son of the county and Liberia as a whole".
At the J. Dominic Bing City Hall located in the heart of Greenville City, where a special program was held in honor of the governor, Sinoe County Superintendent Romeo Quiah said in his statement that the people of Sinoe County were very delighted to see their son back home adding that the arrival of Governor Jones was a blessing to the county.
Central Bank Governor Jones, on the podium, remark stated that he was very happy to be back in Sinoe County for the third time. He praised the people of the county who have come from all parts of the county and that of some lawmakers present, including Senators Joseph Nagbe and Milton Teahjay among others for gracing the occasion.
The Central Bank Governor who also hails from the county said the massive turnout of citizens for the occasion shows that it is time for healing in the county and that there was a need to move forward after the election and stressed the need to hold a meeting with stakeholders in the county to thrash out their differences.
Touching on the day while coming up as a child in Greenville, Governor Jones said he drew water from the well on his head like any other child coming up and that the most important thing during his early school days was that they were taught discipline and called on the students to learn to respect their elders. He paid homage to teachers of his early school days to include Victor Nagbe and others adding that these teachers did not go to the best schools around the world to teach but did extraordinary jobs that deserve recognition.
However, Governor Jones called on the citizens of Sinoe and that of Liberia to do away with tribalism, cautioning that tribalism will not take them anywhere. He thanked President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the opportunity afforded him to serve the Central Bank describing it as an opportunity for him to serve and make a difference in the lives of the people of Liberia.
From Greenville City, Governor Jones and entourage made another visit to Zwedru in Grand Gedeh County where citizens of that county turned out also in large number to welcome him. His trip to Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County was based on an invitation extended him by a group named and styled Friends of Dr. J. Mills Jones that operates under the motto "where you go, we shall go with you".
Plea for bank services
At the Zwedru City Hall the bank governor and entourage were thrilled to a spectacular cultural dance and thereafter a special statement was read on behalf of the group in which the governor was asked to continue his micro-loan initiative. "We call on you to continue the micro-loan scheme to the locals because poor parents who could not afford to pay their children's school fees can now do that through the micro-loan scheme "said Jerry Barshell Secretary General of Friends of J. Mills Jones.
In a special statement copy of which was presented to Governor Jones, Barshell called on him to see the need to establish another bank in the county. Responding to the group's special statement, Governor Jones thanked the citizens for turning-out to welcome him and his entourage and asked the citizens benefiting from the micro-loan to learn to pay back the loan when the time comes.
"Please pay back the loan when the time comes to disprove the claims by those who say Liberians don't pay back debt", said Governor Jones. On the question of establishing a new bank in the county, Governor Jones promised to address that recommendation in the most possible time adding "very soon you will see us here for the opening ceremony of the new bank".
Further commenting on the Central Bank micro-loan scheme, Governor Jones continued that the idea of that loan is intended to share the idea where Liberians can get out of poverty. "You said in your motto where we go you shall go with us, but let me say that we are moving to fight poverty and economic empowerment for our people" said Governor Jones amidst applauses in the hall.