A Liberian Economic Development Specialist says the Boakai Administration is not paying enough attention to economic growth and development.
Mr. Samuel P. Jackson believes that it is clear the Boakai Administration has lost focus on the important things in Liberia, which he said include hunger, health, education, jobs, income and personal safety.
“The Administration is spending too much of its time trying to right historical wrongs while ignoring the fundamental issues and building blocks of any society. Their efforts are disproportionately in the direction to create war crimes court and to recover assets. Both honorable objectives but not enough efforts are being placed in agriculture and food security and rebranding to attract a higher quantum of foreign direct investments,” Jackson pointed out.
He wants President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to fix the country’s financial architecture to improve access to credit indicating that every country grows by removing barriers to business development and improving access to funds and technology.
In a statement released on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Jackson frowned that the Administration has not spoken of any new economic policy to enhance growth or reduce barriers to improve the competitiveness of Liberian businesses.
Jackson: “What sectors will lead economic growth? The old extractive state or export and technology led growth? What are the sectoral needs? Sectoral planning. Agriculture. Industry. Hospitality and tourism. Technology. No Technology Czar yet. Global champions to promote the new Liberia and the rescue agenda AREST.”
He disclosed that former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had “Eric Werker. Steve Radelet. George Soros. ODI. SIDA. Strong support from bilateral constructs. Norway. Sweden. Denmark. Brazil. She may not have taken full advantage of the development support and advantages these relations provided but there was the narrative of strong international support.”
However, the Liberian Economist stressed that President Boakai doesn’t appear to have any serious international support so far, adding “Only support for war and economic crimes and asset recovery.”
Jackson wants the Boakai Administration to change its emphasis from mundane tasks and efforts to appease human rights groups and serial global opportunists to an effective economic growth agenda.
“Fix LEC. Repair and build roads with high economic and social returns. Fix the health sector. Motivate donor funding for increased off budget support to health. Develop a short and intermediate term agricultural development strategy,” he recommended.
He calls for the creation of a special purpose vehicle like an agriculture development bank.
Additionally, Jackson wants President Boakai and his administration to fix what he calls “The hiccups in rubber production and value addition and motivate banking credits to farmers.”
