Liberians Express Mixed Reactions to President Boakai's First Year in Office

Monrovia — This month marks President Joseph Boakai one year into his presidency following his narrow win over incumbent President George Weah in the 2023 presidential elections. President Boakai, campaigning on the slogan to "Rescue," promised to cleanse the country of its aged old problem: corruption. The President promised to improve the living standards of Liberians and build the economy. With one year in to his administration, FrontPage Africa sampled the views of Liberians.

Esiaka Sheriff- Former Assistant Minister for Research and Development Planning, Ministry of Internal Affairs: "This is a very sad day for the Republic. The best thing President should've done was to mount that podium and offer an unreserved public apology to the Nation for the litany of intentional gross violations of our laws - violation of tenure laws to which he's a signatory; the purging of the civil service of citizens believed to be supporters of opposition; the violent and unconstitutional uprooting of the constitutionally elected Speaker of the Republic and installing a puppet, thereby openly defying the opinions of the highest Court. A lack of action on the reckless killing of citizens by a trigger-happy Police force across the Country; lack of sufficient actions on this level of industrious corruption across. Government, and also the president's lack of exerting authority on his government for which many officials of his government have defied him by not declaring their assets after setting two deadlines. The Country is just lawless; we're on a slippery slope. 2024 was a lost and wasted year for our people. President Boakai, if I were to grade his government from 0- 100, I would grade him 2%."

Madam Victoria Paye, Marketer, Kakata, Margibi County: "The President is doing well here in Margibi County because we can see many people planting rice everywhere and I am told that the government is supporting them. I want the president to try to look at the hard hardship in the county. Our businesses are not going like it used to be because when we put our goods outside not many people can come purchase from us."

Peter S. Flomo, Jr., Senior Student Lango Lippaye High School, Kakata: "I think President Joseph Boakai has done well in the area of agriculture. I'm a student; I have traveled around Margibi and Bong Counties where I was able to see many of our people doing rice farming with the support of the government and partners, but the country is hard despite these farming activities. The economic system is poor. To get money under President Boakai is hard and it was not like that before."

Foday Massaquoi- CDC-COP Secretary General: "Honestly, Mr. Boakai's first year in office can be summarized as a wasted year, heavily engulfed in rising economic woes, blatant disregard for the constitution, commissioning of rampant public corruption, open police brutality, arresting of critical voices, unnecessary use of private jets, troubling mysterious deaths, nepotistic and tribalistic preferences, alarming youth unemployment, and a completely divided nation where partisanship has taken precedence over patriotism, especially among officials of the Boakai-Koung administration. It is a national embarrassment that a regime that promised immediate salvation is now distributing starvation wrapped in poverty, agony, division, and gross disrespect for human dignity to the Liberian people. When I think about the $22 million wasted on the muddy road corruption saga, I believe thousands of Liberians will agree with me that 2024 was indeed a wasted year of governance. The regime must take responsibility and desist from making arrogant excuses."

Benjamin U. Johnson, Money Exchanger, Kakata, Margibi County: "For me, I look at the first year of President Boakai is not bad because people can easily move around and look for something for themselves and their families. For example, here in Margibi, we see lots of people involved with farming activities with government support. The bad side I have seen for President Boakai's first year is the delay in the pay for civil servants and too much noise among the lawmakers of our country. These people in the house are doing their own political things and not focusing on the people down here."

Mohammed Deygbe- Political Activist: "President Boakai state of the nation's address was deceptive and completely unrealistic due to his failure and inability to set a clear agenda for the forward match of the country. He miserably failed to speak to the bread and butter issue which posed a significant threat to the survivability and livelihood of our people. The country is experiencing the worst economic crisis since its establishment under the Boakai-Koung administration. Mr. Boakai failed to speak to the issue of the high unemployment rate in the country and what mechanism his government is putting in place to tackle this menace. It's becoming increasingly clear that Mr. Boakai cannot lead this country to prosperity. Truth be told, the SONA fell far below expectations and is filled with broad lies. The realities on ground are far different from the incoherent and disjointed speech delivered by Mr. Boakai. This is the most embarrassing SONA the country has witnessed in recent years."

Madam Tutu Duncan, Resident, Kakata, Margibi County: "President Boakai is doing well for his first one year in office because he came to office with no money left by the past government. So, with the progress we are seeing especially in agriculture is good. As we speak, people are planting everywhere here and we can see these agricultural products to buy. We want the President to continue and need to give him things to continue to improve on what he has started."

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