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ADNews-Monrovia: The Opposition Political Party, Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) has categorically slammed the ruling Unity Party (UP) government for failing to protect Liberia’s democracy in the year under review.
Responding to President Joseph Nyumah Boakai Second State of the Nation, MOVEE’s National Secretary- General, Jeremiah Edison Paye on Wednesday alarmed that Boakai-Administration has launched an assault on Liberia’s Democracy, the Freedom of Speech and the Freedom of Assembly.
Below is MOVEE full response to Boakai’s Second SONA
It is exactly one year since President Joseph Boakai delivered his First State of the Nation Address (SONA). In fulfillment of Article 58 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which mandates the President of the Republic of Liberia to address the Joint Session of the Liberian Legislature on the Fourth Working Monday in January of each year, President Joseph Boakai, on Monday, January 27, 2025 delivered his administration’s Second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
As an opposition political party, endowed with the sole objective of critiquing the Government of Liberia on the governance of the state, with specificity to its policy prescriptions, promises and plans, and the implementation of those policies, promises and plans thereof to the benefit of the Liberian People, the Movement for Economic Empowerment has convened this conference to provide the party’s official response to President Boakai’s Second State of the National Address.
Members of the press and fellow Liberians, before delving into the specifics of the state of the Liberian Economy and the Performance of President Boakai on a sectoral basis, the Movement for Economic Empowerment wants to fundamentally establish that the Joint Session of the Legislature to which President Boakai presented his SONA was Ultra Vires because in the December 6, 2024 Opinion of the Supreme Court rendered in the case Speaker J. Fonati Koffa Vs. Majority Members of the House of Representatives, “ Any sittings or actions by Members of the Legislature not in conformity with the intent of Article 33 and 49 of the Liberian Constitution arte Ultra vires”, it was presided over by a Speaker elected through an “Ultra Vires” Process. The glaring absence of over 30 members of the Legislature, inclusive of Members of the House of Representative and the Liberian Senate was concerning. Most importantly, the absence from the Annual Message by the Full Bench of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia can be considered as an unspoken statement that the gathering was “ultra vires” due to the absence of the Speaker of the 55th Legislature, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. While MOVEE commends the Full Bench of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia for their absence from the SONA, the party calls on the Supreme Court to give priority to hearing and ruling on the Bill of Information filed before it by Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Speaker of the House of Representatives in order to bring the Leadership impasse at the House of Representatives to a full closure.
While the Movement for Economic Empowerment deems the Joint Session ultra vires owing to the questionable role of the Presiding in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the party will not allow President Boakai and his Administration to deceive the Liberian People and the public in general. The First Year Performance of President Boakai over the Liberian State is a clear justification of why the Movement for Economic Empowerment strongly opposed his election as President of the Republic of Liberia.
As expected, President Boakai’s Second State of the Nation Address was a package of falsehood, deception, failed promises, and a marathon speech lacking hope for the suffering Liberian People. Over the course of the First Year, the Unity Party Government, under President Boakai was indeed a colossal failure. The narrow majority of the Liberian People who voted Mr. Boakai did so based on trust and hope that he would better the living conditions of Liberians. They had the confidence that he would lead a government that will adhere to, promote and enforce the rule of law, fight corruption, provide access to basic social services such as quality education, affordable healthcare, stable electricity, pipe-borne water, telecommunication services within the citizens’ means, among others; increase agricultural productivity and food security, ensure a free, safe and democratic state, and the protection of basic human rights. But, contrary to the belief and trust of these Liberians that Mr. Boakai would meet the expectations of the Liberian People, the contents of his Second State of the Nation Address show that he has miserably failed, and continues to be a grave disappointment to the wishes, aspirations and hope of the Liberian People.
This statement will unpack and clearly laid out the deceptions, falsehood and hopeless nature of President Boakai’s speech, for the clear understanding of all Liberians, especially those who are in total regret for being cajoled into supporting and voting this government under the mantra of “a rescue mission”. Through this response, we will provide realistic performance rating of the Unity Party led Government under the Presidency of Mr. Boakai in the areas of the Economy, the Rule of Law and Governance, Corruption and Accountability, Foreign Relations, Education, Health, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Security, the Boakai’s Administration ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, among others.
The Economy
Members of the press and fellow Liberians, contrary to President Boakai’s boast of a better economy, the Liberian Economy over the course of his First Year has subjected more Liberians to poverty due to mass corruption, grave fraudulent actions, economic inequality, gross incompetence, and bad governance. It is abundantly clear that Liberia is getting drown into an economic abyss on every passing day. It is ridiculous and mocking to the Liberian People for President Boakai to state in the SONA that the Liberian Economy is better now than when he took over the Liberian Government. President Boakai showed gross disregard for the socio-economic conditions of suffering Liberians. The economic conditions of Liberia under the Boakai led Administration is gradually to the point where people will start falling from hunger. In fact, MOVEE strongly disagrees that the economy is improving when the exchange rate and prices of commodities continue to surge as the situation had been over the past year of the Boakai’s Administration with no relief or improvement in sight.
How could President Boakai deceive the Liberian People of a low inflation rate when the exchange rate has skyrocketed to 200? How could President Boakai falsely claim that the price of rice has reduced, when the price of the country’s staple food is currently at nearly US$20.00 or its equivalent in Liberian Dollars? How could President Boakai speak of a better economy when there has been no new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for job creation since he took office? How could President Boakai say the economy is resilient and better today when unemployment has risen to about 96% and poverty gap has widened? How could President Boakai boast of an economy where purchasing powers of Liberians has significantly reduced, with ordinary marketers complaining on a daily basis across Liberia?
The MOVEE also wants to expose another inconsistency in President Boakai’s SONA when he told Liberians and the world that his administration trained 10,000 Liberian youths into Information Communication Technology (ICT) and cyber security. How could 10,000 Liberian youths be trained in ICT and cyber security in 10 days? In fact, we are left baffled as to how these ICT and Cyber Security trainees were recruited, where and how they were trained?
The Movement for Economic Empowerment considers it despicable for President Boakai to boast of increase in revenue when the National Budgets have become a source of cash distribution among top officials of government. The First Year Budget for President Boakai was US$738M, and he boasted of collecting the revenue+ of US$734M, why did President Boakai complain of broken economy and inflation in his second year in office. In fact, President Boakai failed to provide the economic impacts and benefits of Liberians from US$210M financing Package from the IMF, US$20M Special Disaster Fund, US$60 million budget support from the World Bank and US40M from the African Development Bank. The real truth is: The so-called increased revenue collected in 2024 was of benefit to a few in the Boakai’s Administration, and sadly, did not lead to any benefit to the Liberian People.
Another deception by President Boakai in his 2024 Report on the country’s economy was that his government ‘took decisive action to increase salaries of health workers, the police, and teachers’. This is a major falsehood as there was no increment in the salaries of civil servants throughout 2024. After criticizing the CDC Government for the “Harmonization Policy”, President Boakai’s Government has failed to reverse the Harmonization Policy” as he (President Boakai promised during his campaign. Simply put, the promise to reverse the Harmonization Policy” is one of the unfulfilled countless campaign promises by President Boakai. How could President Boakai mention the provision of the County & Social Development Fund (CSDF) to all the counties, when CSDF funded projects cannot be seen across the counties?
Rule of Law & Governance
Members of the press and fellow Liberians, the Rule of Law is the foundation and protector of every country’s democracy. Contrary to President Boakai Oath to uphold and protect the Liberian Constitution, he continues to disregard the rule of law. The First Year of the Joseph Boakai’s Presidency was marked by wanton violation of the Rule of Law and the Liberian Constitution. The Movement for Economic Empowerment sees it as a mockery for President Joseph Boakai to speak of the Rule Law in SONA. No president in the history of Liberia has trample on the rule of Law and led the violations of the Liberian Constitution like President Boakai did during the First Year of his Administration and continue to violate. The MOVEE likes to reference President Boakai’s broad-day support and endorsement of the ‘u ltra vires’ Removal of the elected Speaker of the 55th Legislature, His gross disregard for tenured laws, evidenced by the suspension of the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), his deliberate and forceful removal of the Chairperson and Commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) in open defiance to the ruling of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia, the unlawful dismissal of the Deputy Director General of the National Social Security & Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), the illegal suspension of the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC) which amounts to presidential interference into the administrative and operational management of the electoral body, the removal of the Chairperson of the Governance Commission (GC), amongst other unlawful actions. The inclusion of the Rule of Law in the goal-less ARREST Agenda of the UP Government is a sham and pretense.
After President Boakai boasted of leading an open and transparent government, President Boakai has been very permissive and lax in the enforcement of the 2014 Code of Conduct for public officials by his refusal to take decisive actions against appointed officials of government who have failed to complied with the Code of Conduct and live up to his Assets Declaration Mandate. While the latest statistics from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) show that an appreciable number of 889 officials across the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary have declared their assets, the non-compliance of more than 50% of the officials of the Boakai Administration to declare their assets is in violation of the Code of Conduct. It is shameful for President Boakai to mention the Office of the Ombudsman when his officials are challenging the workings of the Ombudsman before his very eyes. Despite mandating appointed officials who are cut in violations of the Code of Conduct to resign from party positions, these officials have refused and remained defiant and continue to serve in their party positions and in government.
Another high core deception from President Boakai in just one year in office was his use of private jets over seven (7) times, on both foreign and domestic travels despite the repeated huge condemnations he made during the October 2023 General and Presidential campaign against the former President, His Excellency Amb. Dr. George Manneh Weah. Considering the private jet condemnations during the last presidential campaign, it is not only a mere hypocrisy, but also callous and heartless for President Boakai to be flying private jets when millions of Liberians go to bed hungry on a daily basis.
Corruption & Accountability
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, the Movement for Economic Empowerment wants to make it clear that it was categorically a falsehood and mockery to the Liberian People for President Boakai to speak about corruption fight in his SONA. It would have been better for the President to have avoided speaking about corruption because his government has failed in the fight against corruption. Corruption became a ‘normal’ from the very onset of the Boakai- Koung led Government, for instance, the use of over US$15million off-budget expenditure, including the unaccounted for 2.3M as miscellaneous and US$1.1M to purchase vehicles for the President, the Vice President and the placement of US$100,000. On the debt card for the President; the dubious yellow machine transactions, dubbed the “Yellow Machine Boakai Gate”; the alteration of the 2024 National Budget, the ‘ultra vires’ passage and manipulation of the 2025 National Budget.
The Movement for Economic Empowerment wants to make it unequivocally clear that contrary to President Boakai narration of the superficial fight against corruption by his government, the MOVEE rather sees Liberia in the hands of voracious political wolves and greedy scoundrels who desire to enrich themselves at the detriment of the Liberian People. The interest and welfare of the Liberian people are of no concern to President Boakai and his Administration, instead they are concern about amassing wealth for themselves and violating the Rule of Law. In the last one year, the Liberian People have been overwhelmed by discontentment, hopelessness, and frustration.
The Governance of Liberia in the last one year under President Boakai’s Government has been on the basis of disrespect to the rule of law, incompetence, nepotism and cronyism. While the State of the Nation Address was an opportunity for President Boakai to build trust and demonstrate leadership, he failed to present any positive governance policy, due to his poor governance performance in the last one year.
Mr. Boakai is brazenly determined to return Liberia to its ugly past, but we in MOVEE and the Liberia People will continue to pursue the Rule of Law, transparency and accountability. Accountability and Transparency has just been a smokescreen by the Boakai Administration, because governance management has been worse than “business-as-usual”. How could President Boakai boast of openness, transparency, and accountability when the allocation of US$1.9M in the 2024 National Budget to his office has increased to US$3.4M in the 2025 National Budget, which represents an increment of US$1.5M? What is the benefit of payroll audits when public sector expenditure on compensation increased from US$297M to US$303M in the 2024 National Budget?
Foreign Relations
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, President Boakai and his officials leading and managing the country’s foreign affairs have failed to maintain Liberia’s foreign policy. The President said “Liberia’s Foreign Policy and external relations have seen many shifts that have lifted the country’s image internationally”. The Movement for Economic Empowerment agrees that Liberia’s Foreign Policy and external relations got shifted over the course of the year not in the positive light, but in a negative sense. Instead of maintaining and sustaining Liberia’s support to Ukraine, President Boakai’s Government is currently courting relationship with Russia, evidenced by Liberia’s representation and bilateral engagement of the Government of the Russian Federation at the 2024 Russia-Africa Summit in Socchi, the Russian Federation. The Boakai Administration also compromised Liberia’s strong stance against human rights violations in Liberia and around the world, especially against minority groupings. We also witnessed and condemned the Boakai Government’s tacit endorsement of the reckless attack launched on the US-Liberia relations by the government chosen Independence Day Orator for 2024.
The Movement for Economic Empowerment wondered as to how President Boakai could claim that his government secured endorsements in 2024 from the ECOWAS and AU for Liberia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2026-2027 Term when it is abundantly clear that based on the request and lobbying of His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, Then president of the Republic of Liberia and Ambassador Dee-Maxwewell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Then Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet of the Republic of Liberia , ECOWAS, ON July 9, 2023 in Bissau, Guinea Bissau unanimously endorsed Liberia’s CANDIDATURE for the Non-Permanent Member Seat at the United Nations Security Council for the period: 2026-2027, while the Executive Council of the African Union also unanimously endorsed Liberian’s bid on July 14, 2023 in Narobi, Kenya. Liberia has a clean slate. All of what is happening now is just the required formality. Absolutely nothing will and can stop Liberia’s bid for Non-Permanent Seat at the United Nations Security Council, with elections scheduled for June 2025.
Furthermore, On November 6, 2024, Foreign Minister Sara Beyslow Nyanti and the Ministry of Education misled President Boakai into launching the fraudulent US$25M Nekotech Student Loan Program for Liberian students to do foreign studies in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the US and Canada. Due to the credibility that President Boakai lent to what was deemed to be a “non-collateral loan scheme” for 250 Liberians, struggling Liberian students were duped into paying US$236.00 for readiness fee, US$400.00 for English Test and were asked to present proof of financial standing of US$40,000.00 bank statement. This Nekotech Scholarship was not just another failed promise of President Boakai’s purported “Rescue Mission”, but it financially victimized many Liberian students.
Education
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, while the Movement for Economic Empowerment lauded the increment in allocations to basic social services sector, including education, it is sad that said increments were intended to benefit those presiding over those sectors, and not to the benefit of the Liberian People. Despite the allocation of over US$5million in the 2024 National Budget for placement of voluntary teachers in public schools on government’s payroll, there is no record of the placement of voluntary Teachers on GOL’s Payroll; The US$34 Million allocated to the University of Liberia remain unaccounted for, despite non-academic activities for nearly six (6) Months; Liberian students are without chairs in hundreds of public schools, and there are declines in the performance of Liberian students.
Health
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, President Boakai made an ambitious promise of availability of medical supplies and logistics, establishment of regional diagnostic centers, reduction in maternal and newborn mortality in his First State of the Nation Address. President Boakai once more deceived the Liberian People that essentials medicines have been provided to health centers in the 15 counties of Liberia when Liberians keep dying from lack of access to healthcare throughout Liberia. In his First SONA, President Boakai promised the establishment of regional diagnostic centers, and healthcare and pharmaceutical institutions across Liberia, it was a recitation for him to restate these plans.
The Movement for Economic Empowerment is shocked to hear President Boakai say: “we have made steady progress in raising awareness and preventing drug abuse. After one Year of governance, President Boakai failed to present achievable policies and steps his government has taken to end illicit drugs and substance abuse. What steady progress was President Boakai speaking about when he could not provide sustainable youth programs undertaken by the government in 2024? President Boakai vaguely informed the Liberian People that ‘his government has rehabilitated several at-risk youths and re-integrated them into the society’ without providing specifics. In fact, where did President Boakai and his government rehabilitate these at-risk youths? We saw no robust clamp down on illegal drugs. Rather, 2024 saw the emergence of a new deadly illegal drug called “Zombie” that is claiming the lives of several at-risk youths.
Security
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, It was no surprise to the Movement for Economic Empowerment when President Boakai failed to speak on the security sector. Liberia has descended into a police state where the Liberia National Police is now a force for bad. The murdering of Liberians in Kinjor, the wave of mysterious deaths across Liberia, police brutality and political instability have become a daily reality under President Boakai and his Administration. Extrajudicial killings are increasingly common, with the disappearance of individuals with no trace of their whereabouts or being murdered in cold blood. There is an alarming wave of lawlessness, with Liberians living in fear of insecurity and criminal activities on a daily basis.
Protection of Democracy
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, the Boakai-Administration has launched an assault on Liberia’s Democracy, the Freedom of Speech and the Freedom of Assembly. It is gravely alarming that over the course of President Boakai’s First Year in power, his government is clamping down on opposition for their holding disagreements with his government. The unlawful dismissals of opposition youths at the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and at other Ministries, Agencies & Commissions across government due to their political alignment, and for the expression of their political views; police brutality against elected representatives of the people and peaceful protestors in disagreement with the undemocratic actions of the government, the issuance of threats on the lives of judges for judicial decisions, the grave allegations of torture from those in the custody of state security are elements of a tyrannical regime.
The Movement for Economic Empowerment has sensed a systematic plan by President Boakai to hold political control of the Legislative and Judiciary branches of Government. President Boakai is gradually becoming a dictator and tyrant. He is interfering into the independent workings of the judiciary and legislature; instilling fear in opposition figures through state apparatus and placing a tacit ban on the Freedom of Assembly, as guaranteed in the 1986 Liberian Constitution. But, MOVEE wants to inform President Boakai that Liberians, especially the opposition community will certainly not sit idle and allow him, through his emerging autocratic tendencies, reverse Liberia’s high earned democracy and all of its tenets, including human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the doctrine of separation of powers; every means within the confines of the Rule of Law will be used to stop such unconstitutional endeavors.
Agriculture
Members of the press and fellow Liberians, during President Boakai’s 2025 SONA, he failed to state any achievable efforts his government has made in improving the agricultural sector. Mr. Boakai’s speech gave no hope of revamping and revitalizing the agricultural sector. The 2024-2030 National Agriculture Development Plan of the government titled: “LIBERIANS FEED YOURSELVES AGENDA” is another unrealistic document that will remain on the shelves with no achievements. Mr. Boakai’s statistics presentation failed to show the practical benefits of the Liberian People from government undertakings in the agricultural sector. Due to the excessive violations of the rule of law by President Boakai, no investor in the agricultural sector could find Liberia investment-friendly. The Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) had to pull out, thanks to Jetty Rubber LLC for coming to the rescue of hundreds of Liberians who could have become jobless had he not taken over the company. President Boakai’s promise in his SONA of creating jobs through the agro sector is another scam.
Social Utilities
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, social utilities under President Joseph Boakai were poorly delivered to the Liberian Citizens. Electricity still remains inaccessible to over 85% of Liberians. For President Boakai to boast of his government’s provision of electricity access to over 13 % of Liberians is a mockery. Despite progress being made by the Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation (LWC), over nearly 90% of Liberians still do not have access to pipe-borne water.
Infrastructural development under President Boakai was a massive failure. After allocating US$22 million for road rehabilitation to the Ministry of Public of Works, Liberians could not see the impact of such a whooping amount. The roads across Liberians, even in the urban areas have been a disaster. It is laughable that President Boakai will boast of roads works when he avoided the use of road to travel and flew by private jet to get to his native Lofa County.
The ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID)
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, the government’s national development plan called the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) is an unrealistic ambitious goal with the implementation budget of US$8.4 billion, with 70% of the funding dependent on foreign partners. With 70% of the required US$8.4billion dependent foreign partners, the agenda is off for a failure.
Members of the Press and Fellow Liberians, the Movement for Economic Empowerment likes to sum up that President Joseph Boakai’s 2025 State of the Nations Address was a false narrative embedded with deliberate flaws, deception and a hopeless outlook for Liberians. The speech failed to state definite socio-economic achievements by the government in terms of job creation and poverty reduction. After One Year, President Boakai could not provide any implementation path of the “rescue Mission” package for the benefit of Liberians.
Recommendations
Given the litany of governance excesses of President Boakai’s Administration over the last one year, the Movement for Economic Empowerment recommends the followings:
- That the Boakai Government increase funding to the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) to curb corruption hands-on at various Ministries, Agencies and Commissions across government;
- That the Boakai Administration abandons the growing clamp down on opposition leaders and their partisans, and emulate the enviable democratic credentials of his Excellency former President George Manneh Weah;
- That the Movement for Economic Empowerment once again calls on the Supreme Court of Liberia to give priority to hearing and ruling on the Bill of Information filed before it by Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Speaker of the House of Representatives to avoid the political tensions at the House of Representatives;
- That President Boakai desists from disregarding the Rule of Law and violations of the Liberian Constitution; and strictly adhere to the Rule of Law and uphold the Liberian Constitution in adherence to his Oath of Office;
- That President Joseph Boakai focuses on the “bread and butter” issues of the economy, which hinges on the livelihood of the Liberia People;
- That the Boakai’s Administration should do away with bad governance and thread on the path of good governance, promote transparency and accountability;
- That the Boakai’s Administration attaches seriousness to the fight against corruption in government by removing all appointees indicted into GAC audits reports and under Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) investigation from the government;
- That the Government of Liberia, specifically the Liberian Legislature review the performance of all concession agreements, with the aim of ensuring that jobs allotted for Liberians in those agreements are given to Liberians only;
- That President Boakai convenes a national reconciliation conference with members and leaders of opposition political parties, in order to alleviate the growing political tensions in Liberia;
- That President Boakai stops interfering into the workings of the Legislative and Judiciary branches of government, as this has the propensity to revert Liberia to a ‘JUNTA STATE’.
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