Liberia-In an exclusive interview with ABUBAKAR HASHIM of an online Nigerian Site, The News in Monrovia, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai detailed his thoughts on the trajectory he envisions Liberia to take, to meet its development needs as well as the citizens, but also expressed his views on happenings in their second term in office as well as the 2003 elections.
Saying that their second term in office when he was vice President under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was marred by rampant corruption, squandering and looting of the national resources, the President also weighed in the outcome of the 2023 elections, stating that the incumbent government, which is the Weah government, made several attempts to cheat, but citizens resisted that move.
The President did not clarify how and to what extent the CDC administration went to change the course of the elections in its favor.
The President said he is on a herculean mission, and his greatest preoccupation is to restore hope to Liberians in a decrepit economy, how to give ownership of the economic activities back to Liberians, and many other top priorities.
The Liberian leader revealed his resolve to achieve these twin missions, even, according to him, ‘‘if it means riding on a wheelbarrow to the Mansion’’.
Asked about his over 40 years of political experience which places him a pool position when it comes to the inner workings of government, President Boakai warded off his political linings, saying he is a person who is deeply concerned about humanity.
“I’ve conducted my lifestyle with utmost simplicity and I’m, throughout my life, people- focused. I’ve held several positions in government, but I never lose touch with the people, especially those in the rural areas,” the President told the Interviewer.
He went on cataloguing his roles in government, first as Managing Director for Produce Export, Minister of Agriculture, and then Vice President, all of which he said geared toward rendering services to the nation.
According to him, he has always never been so dissatisfied with the ways things are happening in the country, and stressed “I saw a lot of greed and selfishness in people in all the places I worked.”
“So, it’s true I’ve been referred to as a politician. But beyond that, I want to see good things impact on the lives of the people. My political experience counts, but what matters most is the human concern and feeling on the quality of lives of the people,” he added.
As to whether his government will continue where the government in which he served as Vice President left, in terms of policy direction, or is it going to be a new start, President Boakai recalled the state Liberia was in when they took over, when it was regarded almost as a failed state.
He indicated that they managed to put Liberia back on track for the first six years, but fell short to provide for much details when it came to the second six years.
The President noted: “I can’t say we did very well. That’s why I’ve always been accused that we had opportunity, but we squandered it. We had an opportunity for the first Africa female President for this country. A darling of the world. Everything could have happened. If we had given our time to take advantage of that opportunity, Liberia will have been ahead of what it is today. But we squandered that opportunity We derailed in our second term.”
He revealed that lot of things crept into their ways that derailed the efforts, saying that he I would not consider it as a continuation in the Ellen-time policy direction.
President Boakai indicated that “In the last six years of her administration, things that were built were overturned. Even the good deeds in the first six years, that were so remarkable, were overturned. There was rampant corruption.”
“The country was overwhelmed with lots of misguided people, who didn’t know about management but about looting, squandering, that caused more problems that were inherited. I remember, in 2006, in the first six years, we were all jubilant that it was a new start, a new Liberia. But what we saw in the second six- year term, was a derail from the first terms, that condescended into rampant corruption and squandering of the people’s wealth.”
Relative to his countenance when he was announced winner of 2023 election, President Boakai said remained calm because he is not someone who gets excited over positions, and rather he is more excited over what he can do with the position.
He stated: “I knew the Liberian people had made their decisions because I knew how the election went. On the night of the elections, it was like a war in this country. The incumbent government made every attempt to cheat, but the citizens resisted that move.”
“For me, that’s where my passion comes in for the people to stand on the roads, for the liberation of the country, I feel I’m doubly obligated to uphold the people’s aspirations for good lives. That is my task ahead and that’s my commitment, I’m ready to do anything to achieve this task, even riding a wheelbarrow to go to the office! I’m very honest about it, if it is the sacrifice to achieve the people’s mandate. I detest ostentatious life styles. At my age, I don’t need too much acquisitions, neither too many wants nor desires. I can’t be in a tinted window vehicle and see numerous children out of school, youths roaming about with no jobs. My task is to re-new hope to the Liberian people,” the President stated.
Commenting on his major achievements and challenges so far, President Boakai told the Daily that he tries to lead by example, adding, “I told the Liberian people that I was going to declare my assets and I did. I told the Liberian people that I and my Vice would take blood and drug tests, we did. I signed a code of conduct. I also said in my first 100 days, no car would be stuck in the mud on our high ways.”
Bragging of his interventions in the area of roads rehabilitation, the Liberian leader pointed out how there are testimonies of areas, where, during this time of the year, people couldn’t travel due to bad roads.
“The other naughty area is corruption which is a vampire to our economy. There is, absolutely no reason that the resources of the country belong to few individuals. We are fighting it, as impunity cannot continue. We are not against anyone but justice must prevail over the people’s wealth,” he said.
‘We Are Battle-Ready’
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has made a clear that his administration is battle-ready to ensure that those whose actions denied other Liberians opportunities to good living standards, who have enriched themselves at the expense of children not going to school, women in the rains eking their living, youths roaming about in the streets with no jobs, account for their deeds.
The Liberian leader is facing criticisms for the administration snail-pace fight against corruption, mainly as it relates to this government officials are reneging on adhering to his assets declaration mandate, as well as undermining his zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
As part of the overall crackdown on corruption, the administration is presently prosecuting officials of the past administration accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from the national coffers.
However, the Liberian President told a Nigerian Daily, News that his government is battle-ready, but acknowledged that these are big challenges to surmount. “But we know the problems and we are sincerely ready, with great passion, to rectify the problem, as enshrined in our campaign manifesto. We’ve started the journey already,” he emphasized.
On the question about whether he will continue many abandoned and uncompleted projects of former President George Weah, he expressed excitement the question was posed, saying “That’s the problem with Africa and particularly this country. Every year, governments budget resources to do projects that are uncompleted or abandoned, leading to wastage of resources.”
According to him, the government will continue projects it believes are viable, but will certainly slow down and investigate projects they consider are misuse of resources, and take appropriate actions, and if possible, terminate them, with full consequences.
“Those projects that include security like the army barracks, we shall continue with them. Projects that are viable like schools, hospitals, we shall address them, to regain the confidence of the people, that there is a new Liberia,” he disclosed.
President Boakai stressed that his government “shall not continue abandoned projects that cannot be beneficial to the people. Projects that are waste of resources, we shall not continue with them.”
