CENTAL criticizes Boakai’s speech

President Boakai faces criticism here for not taking firm actions against corrupt officials.

By Lewis S. Teh

Monrovia, Liberia, January 30, 2025 – President Joseph N. Boakai has come under serious criticism for his alleged failure to address corruption and other key issues affecting the country during his address on Monday to the 55^th Legislature.

“Clearly, President Boakai can boast of relative success in other areas, but not in the fight against corruption, Liberia’s biggest problem”, says the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, CENTAL.

In a live Facebook podcast Wednesday, January 28, 2025, Executive Director Anderson Miamen, said the President has been lackluster when it comes to taking action on allegations of corruption against his officials, saying “He has not really matched his anti-corruption commitments with deeds.”

Delivering the state of the nation address on Monday, President Boakai outlined progress in key sectors such as the economy, infrastructure, agriculture, and education. However, his claims were met with skepticism and opposition from various political figures.

Boakai began by addressing Liberia’s economic challenges before he assumed office, noting that the economy had grown by only 4.6%, inflation had surged to 10.1%, and the country’s debt burden had escalated to $2.5 billion. 

He also highlighted struggles faced by civil servants, particularly pay harmonization and delayed salary payments, which led to reliance on informal financial schemes.

President Boakai revealed that decisive actions have been implemented, including salary increases for health workers, police officers, and teachers. He reported that in 2024, Liberia’s economy showed resilience, with a revised GDP growth rate of 5.1%. 

According to the President, growth was fueled by sectors such as mining, agriculture, fisheries, and services, with international partners like the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and USAID contributing to investments in infrastructure and energy development.

“We have managed inflation prudently, reducing it to 7.7% by the end of 2024, down from 10.1% in 2023,” Boakai said. “We expect inflation to decrease further to 6.0% in 2025.”

Additionally, he pointed to improvements in Liberia’s international reserves, which has risen to $458.9 million, and appreciation of the Liberian dollar by 4.7% against the US dollar. He also noted that the Central Bank has lowered monetary policy rate from 20% to 17%, which helped bolster confidence in the financial system and resulted in a 9.1% increase in private sector credit.

On infrastructure, Boakai highlighted several key projects, including the expansion of the Roberts International Airport (RIA) Road Project from 8 to 20 kilometers of paved road, as well as significant progress on the Sanniquellie to Logatuo and Saclepea to Tappita road projects. He also mentioned road development funded by the World Bank’s Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP).

In the education sector, Boakai acknowledged the challenges his administration inherited, including $2 million in scholarship arrears, poorly qualified teachers, and inadequate infrastructure.

 His government allocated $1 million to clear scholarship arrears, including fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and launched a $75 million foundational learning project with USAID to improve literacy and math skills for third-grade students.

In the health sector, the President touted the progress made under his ARREST Agenda, reporting reductions in maternal and child mortality rates and an increase in child vaccination rates from 64.9% to 73% in 2024.

But responding to the President’s address, Miamen argues that President Boakai removed the entire board of commissioners at LTA because of allegations of corruption, but has taken no action against the current acting LTA board chair, who is implicated in audit report released by the General Auditing Commission. 

He also wonders what has the President as done to his officials that have refused to declare their assets.

“He keeps giving them warning and ultimatum. What has he done to Dorr Cooper investigated by the University of Liberia and found liable for academic fraud? Again, nothing.  I could go on and on.”

According to him, former President Weah and his party lost the 2023 presidential election not necessarily because they did not build roads or other public facilities. Mainly, they lost because they failed to deal with corruption. 

“Like Weah, President Boakai is not doing enough to send a strong message to his officials to comply with the Code of Conduct and other Anti-Corruption laws. We can’t compare CDC’s six years to UP’s one year. However, we can speak to the trends and what likely will happen, should things change or continue the way they are”, Miamen underscores. Editing by Jonathan Browne