MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Exiled Liberian activist Martin K. N. Kollie has launched a critique of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), accusing the Liberian leader of misrepresenting key facts regarding agriculture, security, and the economy. Kollie, known for his data-driven analyses, argued that Boakai’s speech, delivered before the 55th National Legislature on January 27, 2025, was filled with exaggerated claims that do not reflect Liberia’s current reality.
The activist’s response, which has gained traction on social media, particularly challenged Boakai’s claim of a 200% increase in the agriculture budget. According to Kollie, the 2023 agriculture budget under the previous administration stood at US$5.25 million, while Boakai’s government increased it to US$6.78 million in 2024—an increase of only 22.5%, not 200% as stated. He also pointed out that of the approved amount, only US$4.4 million was actually spent as of November 2024, less than the US$4.5 million spent under the previous administration.
Beyond the numbers, Kollie criticized the allocation of funds within the sector. He revealed that out of the US$15.38 million allocated for agriculture in the 2025 fiscal year, 77.8% (US$11.9 million) was directed toward administrative costs, including salaries, benefits, fuel, and vehicle purchases. This left minimal funding for actual agricultural production, research, and farmer support—undermining Boakai’s stated goal of reducing Liberia’s dependence on food imports.
The issue of rice importation was another area where Kollie challenged Boakai’s assertions. The President claimed that his administration had started efforts to reduce rice imports by 45% by 2025, but Kollie countered this by citing data from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) and the Ministry of Agriculture. He revealed that between April and May 2024 alone, Liberia spent US$72.86 million on rice imports, with annual expenditures exceeding US$200 million—a stark contradiction to Boakai’s claim of a reduction. He further noted that rice prices had actually increased under Boakai’s leadership, making basic food even less affordable for ordinary citizens.
Turning to national security, Kollie scrutinized the administration’s spending priorities. He highlighted that while the 2024 budget allocated US$111 million for security and rule of law, only US$85 million had been spent by November, compared to US$127 million spent in 2023 under Boakai’s predecessor. More concerning, he noted, was the disproportionate allocation of funds within the sector: the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Executive Protection Service (EPS) together received more funding than the entire Liberia National Police (LNP). This, according to Kollie, reflected a government more focused on protecting VIPs than addressing rising crime rates and security concerns among ordinary Liberians.
Kollie also cast doubt on Boakai’s claim of training over 10,000 young Liberians in digital skills, questioning the feasibility of such a program given Liberia’s lack of adequate technological infrastructure across all 15 counties. He challenged the government to provide verifiable evidence, noting that many so-called trainees had complained about the program’s shortcomings, including a lack of proper instruction and resources.
The economic indicators presented in Boakai’s address also came under fire. The President cited a 5.1% GDP growth rate, a reduction in inflation to 7.7%, and an increase in international reserves to US$458 million. Kollie, however, argued that these figures were largely based on IMF projections rather than actual performance data. He pointed out inconsistencies in Boakai’s claims, such as the assertion that foreign reserves had improved under his leadership when, in reality, reserves had dropped from US$486 million in 2023 to US$458 million in 2024.
Additionally, Kollie scrutinized Boakai’s handling of Liberia’s rising debt, refuting the President’s claim that he inherited a US$2.5 billion debt burden. According to Kollie, Liberia’s actual debt was US$2.2 billion when Boakai took office, but it ballooned to US$2.5 billion within his first year, a development that the President failed to acknowledge.
The activist further criticized the administration’s failure to create jobs, arguing that despite Boakai’s claims of economic progress, unemployment remains alarmingly high. He pointed out that the 9.1% increase in private sector credit primarily benefited foreign-owned businesses rather than Liberian entrepreneurs. He also noted the absence of any meaningful industrial development, asking what raw materials had been transformed into finished products under Boakai’s leadership.
Kollie also took aim at the government’s reliance on foreign aid and donor funding, arguing that no nation has developed sustainably through external assistance alone. He warned that Liberia was becoming increasingly dependent on grants and loans, which, if unchecked, could lead to donor fatigue and economic stagnation.
The activist did not hold back on Boakai’s commitment to the rule of law, citing multiple instances where his administration had violated the Constitution, the Code of Conduct, and financial regulations. He argued that while Boakai had pledged to uphold good governance, key government agencies remained plagued by transparency issues and unaccounted public funds.
Kollie also pointed to Boakai’s own budgetary excesses, questioning how the President could justify spending US$2.99 million on his own office while claiming to prioritize austerity and economic discipline. He noted that despite Boakai’s promises of fiscal responsibility, wasteful expenditures and misallocations remained rampant.
In perhaps one of his strongest rebukes, Kollie criticized Boakai’s leadership approach, accusing him of being more focused on speeches than actual governance. He argued that Liberia’s most pressing challenge, joblessness, cannot be solved through political rhetoric or selective statistics but requires tangible investments in production, industrialization, and economic self-sufficiency.
