Monrovia - George Solo, National Chairman for the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), in an interview with the Voice of America Wednesday explained that the acceptance of a post in Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration by George Weah, the party’s political leader to head the national reconciliation process is a manifestation of Weah’s commitment to peace in Liberia.

“This is not a new agenda of Ambassador Weah. As you are aware, Ambassador was very instrumental in the disarmament of young people working as a UNICEF Ambassador."

"So I think Ambassador has been a pillar of peace in this environment and he has been one of the custodians of the sustainability of the peace that we enjoy today."

"So it’s nothing new. It’s just a continuation of the manifestation of his commitment to peace,” he said.

Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee stepped down in October this as head of the national Reconciliation Commission after criticizing President Sirleaf for not doing enough to fight corruption.

Leymah Gbowee also said she and President Sirleaf had “differences in opinion on the pathway for national healing and reconciliation”.

George Solo said George Weah, by virtue of his acceptance to be Liberia’s peace ambassador, will also take over the chairmanship of the national Reconciliation Commission because Weah believes the national interest supersedes the interest of any one individual.

“I believe he will be the chief patron of the roadmap for national reconciliation, and I think Ambassador Weah is well-placed to handle the reconciliatory process because he is one of the aggrieved parties who has agreed to put his personal qualms on hold in the interest of Liberia. I think this is a symbol of patriotism that needs to be congratulated and emulated,” Solo said.

George Weah, as standard bearer of the CDC, came second in the 2005 presidential election. In 2011, he ran as the party’s vice presidential candidate, and the party again came second.

Mr. Solo said Amb. Weah’s acceptance to be peace ambassador does not mean that the Congress for Democratic Change has abandoned its desire to be Liberia’s ruling party. Instead, he said it solidifies the party’s ambition.

“I don’t think this changes the dimension of the opposition of the Congress for Democratic Change to the ills in our society. I don’t think this changes the perspective and psychology of the Congress for Democratic Change of equal rights and accountability and proper governance."

"I think this further manifests that we are willing to stand up for all these positions and highlight all these necessary changes in our society with the frame of mind that the bedrock  for all of these different implementations and exhibition of our civil liberty need to be on the basis of peace,” George Solo said.

He said the Congress for Democratic Change, as Liberia’s leading opposition party, was somewhat consulted about the government’s National Vision 2030.

One of the things that the Congress for Democratic Change has maintained is that if you make us stakeholders and consultative partners in the early stages of implementation, we are more than happy to give our input, and we hope that these inputs are taken genuinely.

But if you do not do that and present these implementations and they pose a threat to what we see as the harmonization of our society, then we will fight against it,” Solo said.

He said representatives of major political parties would meet later this month in Gbarnga, central Liberia, to officially comment on the government’s National Vision 2030.

The office of President Sirleaf announced that Amb. George Weah, founder and former presidential and vice presidential candidate has consented to work with the government as Peace Ambassador.

An Execution Mansion release Tuesday said President Sirleaf made the announcement during a meeting with representatives of political party leaders in which the President also announced her “National Vision 2030”, a framework for Liberia today and tomorrow.