Boakai Urged to Name Disability Adviser

MONROVIA, Liberia, September 10, 2026 — Disability rights activist Dakpannah U-Thant Nicholas Smith has called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to appoint a senior presidential adviser on disability affairs, arguing that persons with disabilities need a direct voice in government policy and decision-making.

In an open letter to President Boakai, Smith proposed the appointment of a Special Assistant and Senior Adviser on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities within the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.

He said the proposed adviser would provide direct counsel to the President on policies affecting persons with disabilities and help ensure that accessibility, non-discrimination and equal opportunity are incorporated into government decisions.

According to Smith, the office could also coordinate disability-related policies and programs across key government institutions, including the ministries of Education, Health, Gender, Labor, Public Works, Transport and Justice.

He argued that such coordination is necessary to ensure disability inclusion is addressed across government rather than being confined to individual agencies or programs.

Smith also proposed that the adviser serve as a direct link between the Presidency and organizations representing persons with disabilities, providing a channel through which their concerns could reach the highest level of government.

“Persons with disabilities are not charity cases or afterthoughts, but rights holders and citizens whose perspectives must shape the national agenda,” Smith said.

He acknowledged steps by the Boakai administration toward increasing the participation of persons with disabilities in government, including the 2025 appointment of Noah Z. Gibson as Deputy Director for Operations at the National Transit Authority.

Smith, however, maintained that individual appointments are not enough to ensure that disability concerns are systematically incorporated into national policymaking.

He also acknowledged the President’s support for inclusive education but argued that a dedicated presidential adviser could help translate such commitments into coordinated policies and programs across government.

Smith said establishing the position would strengthen representation, improve coordination and give persons with disabilities a more direct role in shaping policies that affect their lives.