Monrovia-Trust for A New Day (STAND) has expressed dismay over President Joseph Boakai justification of his use of private jet in a BBC interview two days ago.
Weighing in on the issue that has generated serious debate and criticism of the President, STAND said there is no justification for the use of a Private Jet while the nation suffers by a government on ‘Rescue Mission.’
The organization condemned the President’s recent justification, terming it a “shocking act of hypocrisy and a betrayal of the Liberian people’s trust.”
“Some occasions require it,” the President said in the BBC interview, trying to justify his use of a private jet.
“This brazen defense not only contradicts his previous condemnation of such extravagant excesses, but also exposes a glaring hypocrisy. It directly undermines the very promises that carried him into office—vows of humility, fiscal restraint, and servant leadership,” STAND said in a statement signed by its head, MulbahMorlu.
The man who once proclaimed he’d “ride a wheelbarrow to work if necessary” to serve the Liberian people now chooses luxury skies over public sacrifice, revealing a concerning disconnect from the harsh realities faced by ordinary citizens.
According to STAND, it is alarming that the once-promised “wheelbarrow presidency” has transformed into a symbol of elite privilege and unchecked extravagance.
“From private jet usage to the procurement of luxury Lexus costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, the administration’s lavish spending is a stark affront to ordinary Liberians struggling under the weight of extreme poverty, soaring prices, and a healthcare system in near collapse,” the advocacy group itemized.
STAND said such conduct violates the core principles of Liberia’s Public Financial Management systems, noting “These frameworks are established to protect public resources and ensure transparency and accountability in government operations.”
“The President’s actions clearly contravene these standards, further deepening public mistrust in governance and eroding confidence in national leadership,” it further asserted.
STAND reminded the President that Liberians did not cast their votes in favor of privilege, they demanded reform, servant leadership, and a government that places the urgent needs of the people above personal luxury.
The statement read: “Yet, the course taken by the Boakai administration marks a troubling return to the familiar patterns of entitlement and impunity that have repeatedly undermined Liberia’s democratic progress.”
