In response to the widely disseminated criticism regarding President Joseph N. Boakai’s decision to appoint his capable and politically astute vice president as chairman of a committee to assess economic challenges, it is essential to clarify the president’s actions. Contrary to the assertion that the President disregarded the Economic Management Team (EMT), composed of technocrats, it is crucial to recognize that the President serves as the Chair of the EMT, while the Vice President is the Vice Chairman. The President, therefore, did not snub the EMT, and, as per the author’s reasoning, both the President and the Vice President possess technocrats.Why the fuss? Furthermore, the EMT primarily assumes an advisory capacity, and its authority is superseded by that of the president.
This inconsistency, one of many, is an indication of the overall lack of substance in the criticism and the diatribe.
In Liberia, the executive branch operates with a strict two-tier structure, comprising the president and the vice president as the sole elected representatives. Consequently, it is entirely appropriate for the Vice President to have political aspirations, particularly those that align with the success of the government and the eventual succession of the President. The president has not only expressed dismay about the presence of politicians in his government but has also explicitly requested their resignation. For the Vice President, his primary focus is on effectively executing the mandate of the current government.
This government is led by President Joseph N. Boakai, assisted by Vice President Jeremiah Koung, and no one else. If an official or group of officials feels slighted by an action of the President, it is inappropriate to resort to personal attacks against the Vice President or to question the judgement of the President.The dissatisfied individuals have the right to resign from their positions. If the economy were progressing in accordance with the president’s vision, there would be no need for this appointment. The article, by the way, acknowledges the pressing economic challenges facing the country while simultaneously questioning the President’s efforts to address these challenges. The government is 18 months old, and the challenges are partly a reflection of the performance of the EMT.
It is imperative to provide a concise historical overview of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, which resulted in the waiver of $4.6 billion of Liberia’s external debt. In 1996, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) initiated the HIPC program after extensive lobbying efforts from the United Nations (architect of the MDG and the SDG), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other relevant bodies. The pressing reality was that nearly all the countries had failed to meet their Millennium Development Goal (MDG), primarily due to the high-cost debt servicing and repayment.
At the time, the successor to the MDG, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), was being developed. The fundamental understanding was that these unsustainable debt levels would again hinder the achievement of the SDG. Consequently, the HIPC program provides debt relief under specific conditions, such as when the debt-to-exports ratio exceeded 200-250% or when the debt-to-government revenues ratio exceeded 280%. Liberia qualified for debt relief regardless of its political leadership. In fact, Liberia’s case was further strengthened by the civil crisis and the immense challenges of rebuilding its nation.
It is an exaggeration of staggering proportions that an official could claim sole credit or use this as the sole justification for their success.
Regarding the personal attacks directed at the Vice President, I would refrain from responding as his accomplishments speak for themselves. The Vice President’s electoral achievements do not reside in the bubbles of student politics. He has won elections thrice in the highly competitive and densely populated Nimba County and was indispensable to the victory of the Rescue Team in 2023. Notably, while he campaigned in the challenging conditions of the southeast, riding a bike through rain and mud, many of the current EMT members were comfortably seated in their offices and homes faraway. All of the members of the EMT owed him for those gallant efforts. He has also been a successful businessman and farmer, having created employment opportunities for hundreds of Liberians.
It is not a crime to seek to be great. But it is dangerous to blindly seek power, position and prominence through the destruction of others or devouring common sense. The President needs to eliminate this chaos by weeding out of his government elements possessed with inordinate ambition and growing obsession with the politics of succession for 2029 so as not to undermine his vision. The early surge in the aspiration of officials to contest political office is a recipe for mayhem in the country and has limited the achievement of the government. This is only going to get worse over time
