President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has reassigned former Minister of Youth and Sports, Cllr. Jerror Cole Bangalu, to head the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), while nominating Attorney Cornelia W. Kruah, former Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports, in a sweeping move aimed at strengthening Liberia's institutional response to emerging national and regional challenges.
The decision, announced by the Executive Mansion on Tuesday, forms part of a broader strategy by President Boakai to reposition key government institutions to play more strategic roles in national development, security, and migration management.
According to the Executive Mansion, President Boakai has appointed Cllr. Bangalu as Executive Director of the LRRRC as the government moves to expand the Commission's mandate beyond traditional humanitarian coordination to address increasingly complex migration dynamics affecting Liberia and the wider West African sub-region.
"The President has taken a strategic decision to expand and reposition the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission to better respond to emerging national, regional, and global migration dynamics, in support of Liberia's territorial integrity and national security framework," the statement said.
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The reassignment of Cllr. Bangalu comes at a time when Liberia faces rising cross-border movements, refugee inflows, returnee reintegration challenges, and heightened concerns over porous borders within the Mano River region. President Boakai noted that these realities require a more robust and coordinated institutional response.
"Liberia stands at a pivotal moment, shaped by rising regional migration pressures and the growing challenge of managing porous borders in a changing global environment," the President emphasized, adding that the evolving situation demands "an institutional response that goes beyond traditional humanitarian coordination."
Under the expanded mandate, the LRRRC will now play a more strategic role in national planning, including coordination on cross-border movements, engagement with international and regional migration protocols, and contributions to Liberia's broader national security and migration management architecture.
Cllr. Bangalu's appointment is intended to strengthen operational leadership at the Commission, enhance inter-agency coordination, and ensure effective execution of its broadened responsibilities. President Boakai expressed confidence in Bangalu's ability to lead the Commission into this new phase, citing his legal background, administrative experience, and record of public service.
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"The President expresses appreciation to Cllr. Bangalu for his dedicated service to the youth of Liberia and affirms full confidence that his legal acumen, administrative discipline, and public service experience will guide the LRRRC effectively into this new phase of national responsibility," the Executive Mansion noted.
In a related development, President Boakai has nominated Attorney Cornelia W. Kruah as Minister of Youth and Sports, replacing Bangalu at the ministry. Atty. Kruah's nomination signals the President's intention to maintain continuity in youth development while bringing fresh leadership to the sector.
While the Executive Mansion did not immediately detail her policy priorities, the nomination underscores the administration's commitment to strengthening youth empowerment, sports development, and institutional reform within the ministry.
Additionally, President Boakai appointed Honorable Jackson Paye as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), further reflecting the administration's ongoing efforts to reposition key public institutions through strategic leadership appointments.
All nominations and appointments, where applicable, are subject to confirmation by the Honorable Liberian Senate.
The reshuffle highlights President Boakai's broader governance approach, which emphasizes institutional realignment, national security preparedness, and adaptive leadership in response to evolving domestic and regional realities.
