MONROVIA — Musa Hassan Bility, political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) and lawmaker for Nimba County Electoral District No. 7, has sharply criticized President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's State of the Nation Address, describing key claims -- particularly job creation figures -- as exaggerated and disconnected from the lived realities of ordinary Liberians.
Responding to the president's SONA delivered Monday, Jan. 26, Bility said the administration's reported creation of 70,000 jobs largely reflects temporary and project-based employment, not sustainable work capable of driving long-term economic transformation.
He stressed that his remarks were not intended as a political attack but as a constructive critique aimed at fostering honest national dialogue.
Jobs Without Permanence
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"Promised future youth employment initiatives are largely tied to temporary or project-based work, rather than sustainable, private-sector-driven employment that would indicate deeper economic transformation," Bility said.
He argued that the absence of durable employment opportunities exposes a fundamental weakness in the government's economic strategy, warning that headline figures mask structural fragility.
Private Sector Left Out
Bility further faulted the SONA for failing to address private sector development, which he described as essential to job creation and economic diversification.
"This lapse is a clear indicator that this is not a priority agenda for this President," he said.
According to the CMC leader, without deliberate policies to stimulate business expansion, Liberia risks remaining trapped in a cycle of aid dependence and commodity vulnerability.
Incremental Gains, Not Breakthroughs
While acknowledging improvements cited in education, health and digital transformation, Bility said the gains remain modest and corrective rather than transformative.
"While the government points to achievements in education, health, and digital transformation, these are incremental improvements addressing long-standing deficits rather than breakthroughs," he said.
He added that removing "ghost names" from payrolls, raising immunization rates and expanding digital finance, while necessary, do not fundamentally alter Liberia's development trajectory.
Weak Schools, Fragile Workforce
Bility pointed to under-resourced schools and poorly regulated health facilities as persistent barriers to national progress, arguing that weak systems continue to produce a workforce ill-prepared for higher-level employment.
"This is directly related to issues in the labor market that give birth to allegations that Liberians are not qualified for higher-level employment opportunities," he said. "If this administration does not see a clear line, then that is a major problem."
Health Data Paints a Grimmer Picture
Although President Boakai reported improvements in maternal health -- including reduced maternal deaths, 88% immunization coverage for children under one and a sharp decline in medicine stockouts -- Bility said national surveillance data tell a more troubling story.
"By EPI-week 31 in 2025, 152 maternal deaths and 643 neonatal deaths were recorded," he said. "Clearly, Mr. President, this is not a health care circumstance to be described as victorious, but worrisome."
He added that experts estimate an average of six to seven women still die weekly from pregnancy-related causes.
Growth Without Inclusion
Bility also challenged the administration's claim of 5.1% economic growth in 2025, cautioning that the figure must be viewed in context.
"While the economy reportedly grew by 5.1 percent in 2025, this figure, though above forecasts, must be viewed in context," he said, noting that Liberia's economy remains small and heavily dependent on extractive sectors such as mining and agriculture.
"The cited growth, largely driven by mining expansion and export gains, does not necessarily translate into broad-based improvements in living standards or job creation for most citizens," he added.
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Call for Accountability and Honest Governance
Bility said the broader narrative of progress presented in the SONA overlooks deep-rooted structural challenges, including slow diversification, exposure to external shocks and continued reliance on donor support.
"Thus, the narrative of spectacular progress is overstated; what has been achieved are necessary, but not transformative steps in Liberia's long journey toward sustainable development," he said.
The Citizens Movement for Change urged the administration to adopt a more inclusive and transparent approach to governance.
"We call on the administration to engage constructively with opposition and civil society, prioritize urgent reforms, and foster a culture of accountability," Bility said.
"Liberia's future depends on our collective resolve to confront uncomfortable truths and pursue solutions that serve all citizens. The time for action is now."
