Liberia: What Have They (UP) Done in 12 Years?

Today, the ALDC examines the incumbent ruling party through the lens of its economic or political participations in the Liberian public sphere. The Unity Party has led Liberia's executive branch for 12 years under the leadership of Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the associate degree holder of Madison Business College and the Harvard trained Master of Public Administration; assisted by her deputy, Vice President Joseph Boakai, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business administration from LU and graduate certificates from Ghana and Kansas in agriculture. Ironically, the two septuagenarians have led the world 3rd youngest population (64% under the age of 24) according the United Nation Population Fund (UNPF) 2016 report. The Unity Party seeks a third term under the leadership of Vice President Joseph Boakai and Emmanuel Nuquay, the current speaker of the inept and corrupt Liberian House of Representatives. So, what can new can this party offer in the next six years that it didn't do in twelve years if elected? To advance this argument, let us retrospect on its past:

The UP inherited a broken structure, briefly stabilized by the international community though an interim arrangement under the leadership of the late Gyude Byrant. There were very little data on Liberia. However, the Sirleaf led regime, like several African nations, had its external debts of nearly $4.2 billion waved by the international community. The UP regime outsourced its security to the United Nations for almost twelve years, with the UN spending nearly $700 million dollars to protect the fragile peace. Since July 2017, Liberia can rightfully be labelled as the nation with the 2nd longest budget deficits after Zimbabwe. With less than 8 days to go, Liberia recorded the 3rd lowest GDP in the world and an all-time GDP at $67 million according to the World Bank.

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