Liberians Rate Boakai’s First Year In Office

Liberians Rate Boakai’s First Year In Office

By Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr

Email: director@news.throngtalk.com

Contact: +231772641146 / 880147358

Elected as the 26^th President of the Republic of Liberia on the Unity Party during the heated 2023 Elections, the Liberian Leader, Joseph Nyumah Boakai presented an agenda coined, named and styled ‘The Rescue Mission’ which promised like past leaders to uplift Liberians from poverty.

He chose Nimba County Senator and Standard Bearer of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Jeremiah Kpang Koung as a running mate.

VP Koung, however, late 2024 distanced himself from the MDR.

The pair won 50.64 percent of the votes, the margin was just 20,567 votes. This margin left many people in and out of Liberia believing that the country was almost equally divided on political lines.

Assuming the leadership of Liberia, the president has been faced with the issues of in house fights amongst Unity Partisans and supporters over who takes which jobs in the government.

He also took over a country in which he said nothing was working under his predecessor George M Weah. Before the official opening of the campaign in 2023, when one of the political actors, Benoni W Urey had gone to Kakata to declare his support for Pres Boakai, then opposition leader, Mr Boakai said nothing was working in the country as he opted for change of leadership.

During his inauguration, Boakai unveiled the ARREST Agenda meaning Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourism.

He presented a hundred (100) day plan to Liberians and later reported some progress. His government was upbeat about implementing (100) percent of all sectors cataloged in the ambitious hundred (100) day deliverable or action plan which the administration said the strategic design of the 100 day action plan was based on a deep understanding of the current governance and microeconomic situation and challenges that required instantaneous steps.

As a key part of the Unity Party Alliance campaign platform considering agriculture, roads, rule of law, education, sanitation, health and tourism, it detailed that the plan was the basis of the outcomes not only from a Joint Presidential Transition Teams’ engagements and assessment across all sectors of the country, but also diverse technical engagements and coordination meetings held with all development partners.

 The frame work document is a product of a multi-agent engagement process through a structured coordination modality headed by a National Steering Committee chaired by the President Boakai.  

An amount of twenty three million, four hundred and eighty-eight thousand, five hundred and forty three United States Dollars (USD 23,488,543) was allocated for the implementation and achievement of hundred (100) day action plan, the targets ranged from accelerating the fight against corruption, making primary roads accessible in all seasons, fighting drugs and substance abuse, and training ten thousand (10,000) youths in ICT the Liberia.

In the agricultural sector, the government said it has completed the national agricultural census and data collection exercise, with analysis underway. 

It has also drafted a national agricultural development plan, which was validated, including obtaining budgetary funding. Among other things, the food security strategy was 95 percent complete.

 The Ministry of Agriculture is cultivating one thousand (1,000) hectares of lowland at the Fuamah Multi-Use Cooperative in Bong Mines, Bong County.

In the field of Infrastructure, the government says it is committed to ensuring that all major roads in the country are passable in all seasons and that it is conducting general monitoring exercises for compliance of road users, driving licenses and permits, insurance and fitness certificates across the country with critical roads already identified across Liberia, while road contracts are being awarded with ongoing works. This work is in addition to the leveling and strengthening to form the pour and compaction of the road and the installation of a cross drain at the water passage.
In the rule of law sector, the government claims to have allocate two hundred thousand United States (200,000) for the ongoing fight against illicit substances and is committed to eradicating the trade and use of illicit substances in the country, in addition to massive and continuous community engagement and awareness raising.
In the education sector, the Boakai administration allocated  five hundred and seventy-nine thousand United States Dollars (579,119 USD) to pay the arrears of local and international students. This includes subscription costs such as monthly allowances, relocation assistance, French language training programs, airline tickets and other operational issues related to student welfare. From the 2022/2023 to the 2023/24 academic year, three thousand, three hundred and fifty(3,350) students will benefit from local scholarships, including two hundred and eighty-three (283) at the second cycle level, two thousand, nine hundred and three (2,903) at the high school level, and one hundred and sixty four(164) in diploma progams.

In addition, three million, five hundred thousand (3,500,000) has been allocated in the fiscal year 2024 budget to pay WASSCE fees.
This is a commitment to invest in strengthening the ICT skills of young people for the first six months that have already begun and to complete the ongoing construction of 25 schools across the country.

Considering everything that this government has done in 2024 which is the first year of the leadership, how do Liberians see the president’s first year’s performance?

Throngtalk News Bureau gathered the views of Liberians to know how they think about his performance in his first year, January to December 2024.

The individuals spoken to include, business people, students, drivers, eminent Liberians, individuals working in government etc. Their descriptions fall in the categories of “Try, Failed, Good and Excellent.”

They also graded him between one and hundred scores.

Jimmy Papi Dolo, Secretary General Of All Drivers Union in Kakata

In his response he said: “For me, I will give him sixty (60) percent because when our parking was to Total there, we find it difficult to go Ganta and Gbarnga. Sometimes we make two, three days before one car can go but since the papay took over, we make two trips, sometimes even three so for me, what I see in the papay government when it comes to transport sector, passengers flowing.”

He said due to the improved road condition now under this government, people commute from Ganta to Zwedru without them as drivers staying too long like before. He appreciated the president for road connectivity from the southeast toward Ganta.

He called on the president to double up in his works to improve his grade.

Benjamin Sumo Of Kakata

When asked about his view he stated: “For the first year, the president’s performance, as for me, I just grade them four (4) percent. Yes, because all those promises the president made, the one hundred (100) day deliverables, that one, it failed. It went vlah.”

The word vlah is a popular jargon in Liberia meaning nothing or a lie.

According to him, the government is not certain. In his view, the officials are fighting among themselves with a lot of fake information coming out.

He stated that the government promised two hundred and fifty (250) scholarships in the US which ended up being a lie. He said the government assured the citizens of making available two hundred and eighty-five (285) earth moving equipment for road connectivity something he added that it was said that every county will have about nineteen (19) pieces each.

He lamented that the government also did not say true about the three hundred (300) buses from Ghana. He added that Vice President Jeremiah Koung of misleading the people of Nimba during the campaign told Nimbaians that a bag of rice would have been sold in the country for a thousand five hundred Liberian Dollars (1,500 LD) but is even more expensive now.

“Every commodity going up. Three paw of okra da twenty dollar. Three paw of bitter in lay market, go there bitter ball ask for it, bitter that fifty dollar (50LD).” So where are we going to?

He told our reporter that it is not still late, recommending to the government to improve on some of the promises made.

Lesolee B Sackie, Resident Of Gborfella Community

“For me, I look at the president’s performance, for the first year is poor, yes the performance is very poor. If I grading him, I will be grading him let say fifty (50).”

He explained that the whole country is locked up to present and the president is not going according to his promises. He noted that on a daily basis, people are crying, stressing the lack of medications at the hospital while at the same time, people are complaining about salary places are getting burnt.

Since the president’s ascendency, there is too much of fire in the country while people are also dying and crying. He sated that Liberians are just surviving by he grace of God further recommending to the president to change some cabinet members and lobby instead of just travelling and returning with nothing for the country.

Solom Gartor, A Gbarnga-Ganta Driver

“I grade him eighty (80) percent because I on the road, I’m seeing lots of good things that going on and by the grace of God, he will do more because I can go to the southeast, I come back, I go Bomi, I see the road condition. Where George stopped, the one has done, it’s more than George Weah’s own.”

He maintained that the road has passed through Gray almost to Tapeta and the road works are being done twenty four (24) hours. He continued that he travelled with a low car which did not drag along the road like before and the price of gasoline reduced to a commendable level by drivers.

Mr Gartor said he can no blame president boakai for the current exchange rate but former President Weah and his officials who stole a lot of money and undermined the rate during the campaign.

Satta Dwalue Of Weala

“I know that everything, the starting can be hard but the first year, what we expected, that was not it we see so he na perform well. From one to hundred (100), I will grade him two (2) percent.”

She narrated that the president himself knows that what he promised the citizens during the campaign is not working and things are going on the contrary. She complained that every day, things are being disorganized, something that is not supposed to be. In her recommendation to the president, she called on the president to unify his government to avoid what she described as too much of dissatisfaction.

Amos B Anniway, A Motorcyclist Of Perkins Farm

“Really for the past one year, what really we expected from the president we have not seen it. For some statement that he gave to us at the time when he won as a president, even before he could win, he made some promises that within ninety (90) days’ time, I going to change Liberia. If I can’t change Liberia within ninety (90) days’ time, the Liberians should ask me down.”

He said the president promised to fix roads but they are not seeing the roads. The cyclist spoke that from the unset of Boakai’s Leadership, there has been no understanding, and lawmakers are just causing noise and fighting amongst themselves. He acknowledged the prices of rice and gasoline to be reduced and praised the exchange rate. He graded the president’s works at ten (10) percent emphasizing that things are two difficult in the country.

Naomi Louisa Jayebaye, A Resident Of Bassa Community

“He worked very poor. Before getting there, he promised us lot of things but we are not seen any of those things.”

Giving the president a grade of fifty (50) percent, she disclosed her expectation in the president the employment of more young people in the country.

The employment, she sated is only being done on the basis of favoritism, warning that the country does not only belong to the unity party.

She argued that there so many people who have graduated but have no jobs to do to survive but Boakai’s government does not take someone to work unless the person is a Unity Partisan or supporter of the party.

Noami added that many people suffered during the campaign but only Unity Party People are enjoying the government.

She advised the president to create employment opportunities for the youth.

Winston F Dolo, A Cyclist

“We suffering on this road here, the man said that he was going to make everything easy for us. I’m Winston F Dolo, tell the president let him revisit Margibi here to go to Gibi Road, let him recondition Gibi Road.” He said in his grading for the president’s first year’s performace, he can mark him only one (1).

He called on the president to bring prices down and bring forth some meaningful developments. He expressed that the country is very hard causing the traffic too to be very though with them.

Prince O Korboi, Jr., A Studend Of Lango Lappaye High School In Kakata

“The first year of his Excellency Joseph Nyumah Boakai, for me it for was too great because since during George Manneh Weah’s, I never saw such of material or act on BWI Campus but these few time, when Joseph Boakai win, his first time coming in Margibi, I saw some different, different creativities that took place on the Campus of BWI so I really appreciate the government of Joseph Nyumah Boakai working a hundred (100) percent.”

He told this news bureau that he expects the president continue on the same fountain this year and further the students in achieving their educational goals.

Emmanuel S K Sackie, Medical Personnel

“Things were very difficult in this past year, it was not easy. Financial issue, almost for my business to collapse if I had not known my way out or in. From the beginning of the president first year in office, there were lot of errors.”

He explained that the president first mistake was to take the old banknotes from the market without replacement. He considers it as a medium of difficulty for business people and other Liberians around the country.

He graded the president forty (40) percent and urged the president to limit the frequency of travels that he did during his first year.

He averred that the president travels with no benefits to the country, decrying what he considers bad roads around the country.

He described Kakata Roads as being dusty and lamented that people are asked to purchase drugs at the government hospital using C. H. Rennie as a case study.

Kakata City Myor, Rev Gbarngawoe Eddie Seboe

When asked about his evaluation of the president’s first year’s performance, the mayor who is decrying the difficulty of having just two tricycles to clean up garbage for about hundred (100,000) residents in Kakata initially declined to respond to the question and referred Throngtalk News Bureau to the opposition but later said as for him, the president worked hundred percent.

“Well, I think you need to go ask the opposition that question, not me, I can’t answer that question. I can’t answer that sorry, I can’t answer that question.” I will say hundred (100) percent because from the broken economy to this time, the same thing with me, look at Kakata City Corporation, whole city with less than one hundred and twenty five (125 USD) and the level we reached in three months so I will say excellent. You enter your house, your house is broken down, they broke all the windows, took all the zinc off, then in a short period of time, you were able to perform.”

Thousands of dollars came in the past government and our streets had mountain, absolutely no budget, so I will say hundred percent.

Despite all the views, some people think that the president’s first year was marred by a lot of struggle for power and disregard for the rule of law, others believe Mr. Boakai is doing his best to repair the damages caused my Mr. Weah for the last six years so it will take some time for things to be stable.

Still people are of the views that Boakai is the best president in the history of Liberia as certain people caution that his government will poorly perform.

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