Monrovia, Liberia:His Excellency Dr. President George Manneh Weah says Liberia’s development deficit requires every citizen’s efforts and participation if the country is to recover from decades of backwardness caused by the civil conflict.

He said except Liberians join ranks with each other, particularly with their Government, to accelerate the pace of development and progress, “we will continue to lag behind.”

Critical to national development, the President said, is peace as well as security without which progress cannot be made. 

The Liberian Chief Executive made the statements Friday, January 10, 2020 in the Banjor Community in continuation of his tours of road projects in Monrovia and its environs.

He asserted that it worries him, and it should worry any well-meaning Liberian, that as Africa’s oldest Republic, Liberia’s development does not commensurate with its age, adding, “It is particularly this huge development deficit that gives me the impetus to invest all my efforts and all the resources of this country behind building roads and providing other social services to the people.”

“Be assured that I will never veer from my commitment to narrow the development void during my term as President,” the President told an avalanche of jubilant Banjor residents. “All I desire from the people is that Liberians should come together in peace and unity despite our political diversities and focus our attention to the development of this oldest African nation.”

President Weah used the occasion to remind Liberians of the dark days they endured over the years when the country degenerated into an inferno the world ever experienced.
 

He reiterated his commitment to delivering on his promises to connect the country with paved roads.
 

“When I came to you during the elections, I said if you elected me, I would build your roads,” he said amid cheers of residents. “This is what I am doing, knowing fully well that without roads, it will be difficult for our people to move from place to place.”
 

He thanked citizens of Banjor for giving him the opportunity to serve them as their President, and added that the Government's Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) was crafted to help those isolated communities realize their dreams.
 

Responding to citizens' request to extend the road project to Banjor Turning Point, the President instructed the Minister of Public Works to ensure it's done.
 

"When I come back here in June, it would be for the cutting of ribbon, he told enthusiastic residents of Banjor who chanted "twelve years, twelve years" unceasingly during the duration of the program.
 

Earlier, the Banjor residents thanked the President for the road project and called on him to remain focused on his Development agenda amid growing distractions.
 

A Liberian-owned company, Solid Rock, is contracted to build the 2.6km road expected to be completed in six months.
 

The visit to Banjor was a continuation of the President's community road projects tour which began a day earlier.
 

The President  slowly walked on the dusty road before he made his way to the historic Unity Conference Center for assessment of the multimillion dollars  National Asset which is in dilapidated condition.
 

The President was accompanied on the  tour by array of government officials including Minister of State, Finance Minister, Public Works Minister, District 17 Representative and many others.