He has spent nearly 14 years in the House of Representatives- throughout as an opposition lawmaker but his ability to network with the ruling establishment without bowing to its whims brought untold results in development evidenced by the three successive terms elections. More than that, Representative Thomas P. Fallah’s footprints are dotted across key sectors of Liberia: education -with the construction and operation of the modern high school; health -the construction and operation of a well equipped clinic; roads construction and rehabilitation beyond the bounds of his statutory responsibilities as a lawmaker. He believes that these should be the basis for voters to cast their for him at the December 8 polls.
Speaking to a mammoth crowd of supporters at the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Victory Rally, Saturday, November 21, 2020 in Paynesville, the CDC Senatorial Candidate said he is best suited for the Montserrado County senatorial seat given his proven record of working with people across all political sides in the interest of the citizenry whose interests lawmakers are supposed to seek instead of their own glory.
“Choose results over rhetorics. I was Representative on the CDC over the presidency of Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for three terms. I worked with her to bring development to my people: the SKD Boulevard, Police Academy roads, water, electricity are some examples of what we achieved. Being an opposition lawmaker does not mean you cannot work with the ruling party for the good of your people. I did not have to insult Madam Sirleaf to make myself relevant. This is the kind of leadership Montserrado County needs. This county does not need a protester who thrives on rhetorics and banishing the country’s image for his selfish interests,” Representative Fallah stated.
the District #5 lawmaker is seeking to broaden the scope of this feat to the entire Montserrado County at the December 8, 2020 Special Senatorial polls having been selected by more than 25,000 partisans of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) at the party’s primaries across the 17 districts of the county.
According to Representative Fallah, the quality of leadership he provided to the people of District #5, Montserrado County is enough reason for the people of Montserrado to entrust with the County’s senatorial seat.
He said given the fact that Montserrado County is the hub of politics in Liberia, there is a need to have “someone with the requisite leadership abilities; someone who understands the terrain of legislative politics; someone with credibility to rally the necessary goodies for his people.”
The Montserrado County District #5 lawmaker indicated that he knows how to harness cordial working relationship with his colleagues and local county leadership in achieving his agenda for the general good of the citizenry. “A lot has been done in District #5. I see myself as the Elder in the county due to my long stay at the Legislature. It is time that we take what was done at the district level to the county. It is time that we serve our people from a broader perspective void of bickering,” he stated.
As opposition candidate in his first term, Representative Fallah said he used his lobbying prowess to get the then ruling establishment to build roads and connect the district to the electricity grid- a benefit that other nearby districts are still struggling to get. He added “when we were elected, we observed that there was a lack of water, electricity, roads and running water. We used our lobbying skill to get those things for our people that would allow everyone to see paved roads, electricity and running water in the District. If the people of District #5 can enjoy these basic social services and entrust with their votes to represent them three successive times, the people of Montserrado County can take cue from it and ensure that this is replicated across the county by electing me to the Liberian Senate at the December 8 polls.”
“The fact that I could achieve a lot as an opposition lawmaker during the 12-year reign of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and impact the lives of the people of District #5, I can use this same skill in the broader way especially now as a ruling party lawmaker for the County to benefit from personal initiatives as well as national resources,” Representative Fallah emphasized.
Coming from a humble background and pulling himself by the bootstrap, the District #5 lawmaker has taken steps in ensuring that education and quality healthcare are made affordably available to the ordinary people by constructing a state-of-the-art university, high school and modern clinic to educate and attend to the health needs of the people of District #5 and beyond.
“It has been a difficult thing for me growing up. It was a challenge: mother is poor and uneducated; going to school was a challenge because it was difficult to get school fees. So, I said to myself, once God has blessed me, I must give back to society. I must give back to my people so that what we had go to through to acquire education, our kids would not face the same situation,” he told M-News Africa in an exclusive interview.
Representative Fallah believes Liberia’s development needs are enormous and as such all hands are needed on deck in assisting national government in every little way noting “this is my way of investing in education to encourage the young people to go to school. Although sometimes we complain that the central government is not doing enough but it is important that those of us in leadership position make our contribution. That is our way of buttressing the national government and we will continue to do so.”
