It’s barely nine months since you, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, ascended to the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Liberia on January, 22, 2024, after a scarce win in a highly contested election against your fiercest political rival, then ruling establishment, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
The Liberian people elected you not only because of your vast experience in public sector and national governance, haven’t served the country for over forty years, but also based on the widely acceptable believe that you were one person who maintained a transparent record during your many years in government, including serving as a vice president for twelve years under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a regime that struggled against corruption to the core.
In addition to that, your election as president was also greatly predicated on your strong stance against the negative vices that rocked the CDC government under former President George Manneh Weah, which was confronted with issues of corruption allegations, mismanagement of state resources, economic hardship, and further exacerbated by mysterious deaths across the nation.
ore to that, your vision for a new Liberia seemed clearly spelled out in your campaign promises, including steps you would take to rebrand Liberia’s lost image amongst the comity of nations which had been hugely affected due to some of the missteps of the CDC. You also promised to wage war on corruption and prosecute corrupt officials of your government as well as former officials who have embezzled state resources, especially at a time when the US Government had sanctioned three officials of the Weah regime in persons of then Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, Minister of State Nathaniel McGill and Managing Director of National Port Authority Bill Twehway, for alleged acts corruption.
During your inaugural address, Mr. President, you promised to further prosecute war criminals for atrocities committed during the country’s fourteen years of bloody civil conflict through the establishment of a war and economic crimes court, a call many citizens had made for several years.
Upon assuming office, it appeared that everything was going as planned, as you moved swiftly to establish your government and setting the national leadership process into full swing, creating the Access Recovery Office and taking steps that would see the establishment of a war crimes court through the commissioning of a special office. However, it seems all these momentums would quickly come to an end.
Firstly, your government became embroiled in a controversial acquisition of 285 pieces of earth moving equipment of which the first and second batches of heavy-duty trucks and yellow machines were brought into the country through the Freeport of Monrovia to the BTC Barracks. The equipment was brought into the country under a dark agreement with South African billionaire Robert Gumede and met no legal requirements. But you later told the Liberian people that no official deal had been reached to purchase the yellow machines as was being speculated; the initiative was a conversation between you and a long-time friend who shares your Arrest Agenda vision. Till date, the status of this controversy is still unknown.
Fast-forward, your officials of various ministries and agencies began laying off several citizens who presumably were members of the CDC. Though it was understood to be a payroll cleanup, yet those very positions were being reoccupied by persons believed to be Unity Partisans, causing a higher wage bill as compared to the CDC government.
Most recently, reports broke out of an alleged US$15K salary earned by the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) boss Mr. Patrick Honnah whom you appointed to the position. This is coming at a time when civil servants can hardly afford to meet their families’ basic needs and you as the president has said or done nothing.
Just last week again, news reports uncovered the alleged purchase of a US150, 000 vehicle by your Commerce Minister, Amin Modad, through the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), with funds acquired from the MEDTECH Scientific Solutions deal. However, the LRA has since refuted such claims and clarified that the money was US$96,000 and was intended to purchase operation vehicles for the Ministry of Commerce.
Mr. President, all this is happening under your watch and citizens are yet to see you take any affirmative action to address these early warning signs that have the propensity to shipwreck your government as in the case of the CDC.
We believe that punitive actions must be taken in these occurrences and would-be instances of similar nature. The Liberian people’s eyes are focused on you for appropriate leadership moves that are needed to address these present situations while averting future ones.
You are gradually losing it, Mr. President, and if care is not taken, your government will end up crashing and your good legacy will be destroyed. Speak where you need to speak and take action where action is needed. A hint to the wise is quite sufficient!
PS: Opinion of The News
