Citizens of Bong, Lofa, Grand Bassa and Rivercess Counties are calling on the Government of Liberia (GOL) and the National Vision Steering Committee to reintroduce the 'open door policy' so as to allow foreign nationals, especially white acquired citizenship. The citizens urged the government and the Steering committee to push for the re-visitation of the Liberian Constitution and amend a provision of article 42 which states that no person of a Negro decent should be a citizen of Liberia.

At the same time, President Ellen- Johnson Sirleah has warned Liberians against tribalism if the country must be a middle income Country by the next 18 years.

Addressing citizens of Lofa, Grand Bassa, Bong and Rivercess Counties in Gbarnga, Bong County yesterday during the second edition of Liberia Rising 2030 regional consultations, President Sirleaf attributed Liberia's underdevelopment and bitter past to tribalism and segregation.

The Liberian leader stressed, "I do not want to hear anyone calling themselves or others Congo or native. Nobody should say I'm Mandingo, Lormah, Bassa or Kpelleh in here, we are all one people. Let's discuss the future of Liberia as one family, with love and respect for each others. This way, we will be able to move forward and better."

President Sirleaf further admonished the citizens to take advantage of the opportunity afforded them to speak out on possible means of positively transforming the Country.

Discussing the future of Liberia, citizens of the four counties prayed the national Vision Steering Committee to consider the issue of peace and unity.

According to them, this is the bedrock on which economic, political and social development can be attain.

They also stressed that they wanted good road network so as to easily transport their farm produce to the market.

Another cardinal issue spoken of by the people of Lofa, Grand Bassa, Rivercess and host Bong was land dispute.

"We want government to demand taxes from land owners, because there are people who do not pay a cent to government revenue, but are claiming ownership for a parcel of land they have no use for.

If people failed to pay their taxes, it would be prudent enough for the government to take possession of said land and make wise use of it," Amos Bayogar told the gathering yesterday.

Central Liberia City of Gbarnga, Bong County was yesterday the host of the second in a series of national regional and district consultations envisioning economic growth and long term development for the Country by 2030.

February 22, 2012 regional consultation was attended by member of the 53rd Legislature, including Senate Protempore Gbezhon Finley and Deputy Speaker Hans Barchue.

County superintendents, cabinet ministers, chiefs, elders, youth, student leaders and civil society representatives were also in attendance.

Liberia Rising 2030 is a development agenda to succeed the Country's short-term Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) otherwise known as Lift-Liberia.

Like President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf said in her 2012 state of the nation address, Vision 2030 will serve as a roadmap for lifting Liberians, addressing their social, political and economic challenges as citizens en route towards economic and wealth creation.

Leaving no Liberian behind, the Vision is expected to transform the nation into a middle income Country by 2030.

It can be recalled that on February 9, 2012, President Johnson-Sirleaf officially launched the regional consultations in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.

Performing the ceremony at the Administration Building in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, the President urged citizens to speak of errors of the past so as to forge ahead with Vision 2030.

She noted that framers of the vision envisage huge participation of most of the citizens, thus giving them an ownership of the end result of Liberia Rising.

Earlier, Acting Planning and Economic Affairs Minister at the time now Finance Minister, Amara Konneh, described the initiative as a 'preparation for tomorrow.'

Minister Konneh expressed heartfelt gratitude to the citizens of Grand cape Mount, Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties for their attendance at and participation during the consultation.

Members of the newly constituted Vision 2030 National Steering Committee, government officials as well as Acting Planning and Economic Affairs Minister Amara Konneh, and Governance Commission Chairman Dr. Amos C. Sawyer were in attendance.

The occasion, which brought together citizens of Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and host Bomi, marked the beginning of a 45-day intensive regional and district consultations across the length and breathe of Liberia.

The visioning process is aimed at choosing where to go as people and nation.

During the event, the citizens presented 'hard pieces of evidence' relative to their pressing need as a conduit through which the dream of making Liberia a middle income nation by 2030 can be achieved.

Imminent problems that could confront Liberians relative on the road towards economic growth and wealth creation were also presented by citizens at the dialogue.