The President of Liberia George Weah on Monday announced a slash in his salary by 25 percent to help fix a country he described as “broke”.
In a nationwide address the former soccer star declared that there would be tough times ahead of Liberians in fixing the country’s economy.
“The state of the economy that my administration inherited leaves a lot to do and to be decided,” Weah said.
This has been seen by many as a move aimed at reducing the huge expectations many voters had of him before becoming president.
President Weah said the Liberian “economy is broken; our government is broke. Our currency is in free fall; inflation is rising.”
“Unemployment is at an unprecedented high and our foreign reserves are at an all-time low” Weah said promising a crackdown on endemic corruption.
“In view of the very rapidly deteriorating situation of the economy, I am informing you today, with immediate effect, that I will reduce my salary and benefits by 25 percent,” Weah announced.
The savings that would be made from his salary cut would be used for development fund for the West African nation.
Liberia was founded by freed US slaves in the 19th Century but in the past decades suffered from civil war and Ebola outbreak.
Source: Africafeeds.com
