MONROVIA – The Liberian People’s Party (LPP), of human rights lawyer, Cllr. Tiawan Gongolo has given mixed reactions to the Unity Party-led government’s 100-day deliverable.
The LPP supported the ruling Unity Party in the 2023 presidential run-off election, which brought Joe Boakai and Jeremiah Koung to power.
In a statement issued on Monday, the LPP commended the Boakai/Koung administration for progress made in accountability and road rehabilitation under its 100-day deliverables, but was quick to flag out numerous missteps of the government.
The LPP hailed the Boakai/Koung administration for the signing of Executive Order #131 establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia following redemptive actions by both Houses of the 55th Legislature.
The Party believes this was a great step forward to ending the culture of impunity, strengthening the atmosphere of peace and promoting a culture of accountability.
The LPP also vowed to closely monitor the administration to ensure that the court becomes operational and serves its purpose effectively, without delay.
The LPP also acknowledged with commendations, efforts made during the first 100 days to rehabilitate some very challenging roads in rural Liberia, especially in Lofa and Southeastern Liberia.
The Party further applauded some ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Environmental Protection Agency; Water and Sewer Corporation, and the Liberia Revenue Authority amongst others for taking some bold steps in strengthening their respective institutions.
While the LPP notes with satisfaction some positive steps taken thus far, the Party says it has observed many missteps on the part of the administration.
The Party criticized President Boakai for his failure to form a government of inclusion contrary to his campaign promise.
“Contrary to President Boakai’s promise to the Liberian people that he would form an inclusive government, meaning all Liberians would be represented in government, LPP notes with reservation that 8 counties have no representation in the cabinet. Senator Amara Konneh recently added his voice to the issue of inclusion. The GSA Director-General, Hon. Galamai Kortimai, speaking to a group of Lofa citizens, said that about 60% to 70% of the senior positions in the current government are occupied by citizens of Lofa County,” he said.
“Sadly, President Boakai did not follow Section 10.2 of the Executive Law, which prescribes the legal formula for the formation of an inclusive government developed by the Legislature in 1973. The Law says, “as much as practicable the President shall appoint one cabinet minister from each of the counties of Liberia.”
The LPP said had President Boakai followed this law, he would have formed an inclusive government.
The LPP fielded renowned human rights lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe as its presidential candidates. In the presidential runoff, LPP backed the Unity Party. Its political leaders met with the hierarchy of the Unity Party and presented a series of recommendations it says must be met before throwing its support. among them include the establishment of a war and economic crimes court, fight against corruption, support to agriculture programs among others.
On this issue of political inclusion, the LPP says former President George Weah of the CDC has a better record. He retained UP’s Ministers of Internal Affairs, Transport, and Information as well as the Director General of the cabinet and Director General of the GSA, amongst other UP officials.
The Party also accused the Boakai administration of violating the Public Financial Management (PFM) Law of 2009, when it requested, and received $80K in United States dollars from the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) to purchase vehicles while former President George Weah was still the President of the Republic of Liberia.
It furthered that the Boakai administration also violated PFM Law by concealing the source of funds for purchase of ‘the much publicized 285 yellow machines. President Boakai and his officials have been entangled with the 285-yellow debacle. President Boakai’s Minister of State without portfolio made a surprise announcement that the government has concluded a deal with Chinese based Sanny Group and Guma Group of South Africa for the importation of the yellow trucks. However, following backlash over the controversial announcement, the government backtracked on its previous statement and said no deal has been completed.
Undermining rule of law
The LPP says the Boakai administration has and is undermining the rule of law by appointing or reassigning applicants who were indicted by the General Audit Commission and/or who have questionable characters; naming Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper Kruah as an example. Cllr. Krua was previously nominated by President Boakai as Minister of Justice, following a series of publications by FrontPageAfrica about Kruah’s corruption deeds.
Cllr. Kruah was found guilty of ethical practices as a lawyer by the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the Supreme Court of Liberia, a ruling that was based on information from 150 pages of Court’s records. Similar to the Weah administration, where a nominee for the post of Minister of Justice was withdrawn because of ethical issues and re-nominated as Minister of Labor, Boakai’s nominee for the post of Minister of Justice was withdrawn and re-nominated for the post of Minister of Labor. The LPP said by following the same trend of the past Weah administration, the Unity Party was sending a very wrong message to the public that the Ministry of Labor is a dumping ground for cabinet nominees with ethical issues.
‘Wasteful spending’
The LPP stated that neither the President nor the Vice President should hire private jets. By hiring private planes for their international travels, the LPP said it sends a very wrong signal to the people of Liberia and sympathetic partners of Liberia about the actual state of the Liberian economy. Also, it called on the government to stop purchasing luxurious vehicles for government officials. Additionally, the government should increase the life span (depreciation period) for new government vehicles to six years, instead of three years. These steps will definitely save money for investment in health, agriculture, education and road construction as well as maintenance.
Ignoring Africa In Its Foreign Policy Agenda
Since his inauguration as President of Liberia, President Boakai has not attended any meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) or the African Union. The President has skipped the ECOWAS summit, as well as other regional bodies such as the African Union and the African development Bank. His administration is not on record of building a strong relationship with the Mano River Union. The LPP says this is a wrong start by the Boakai Administration.
“Given Liberia’s conflict history, it is imperative that any Liberian President must seek to strengthen Liberia’s relationship with the Mano River Union and ECOWAS in the interest of the national security of Liberia,” the LPP said.
The party also noted Liberia, as a founding member of the African Union, beginning with the meeting of Presidents Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and William V. S. Tubman of Liberia From July 15-19 1959 in Sanniquellie and ECOWAS in Lagos on May 28, 1975, cannot make these organizations secondary in its foreign policy consideration. Also, it was a big mistake for the President to have been absent at the recent meeting of the African Development Bank in Kenya.”
Violation of the Public Financial Management Law
The LPP stated the the Boakai administration violated Liberia Public Financial Management (PFM) Law of 2009, when it requested, and received $80,000 in United States dollars from the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) to purchase vehicles while former President George Weah was still the President of the Republic of Liberia.
It stated: “The Boakai administration also violated Liberia PFM Law by concealing the source of the funds for purchase of ‘the 285 yellow machines. According to Honorable Mamaka Bility, Minister of State without Portfolio and Special Envoy of President Boakai mentioned during the May 24, 2024 Cabinet Retreat that Liberia had acquired the machines. Are the 285 machines part of gifts or loans given to President Boakai in exchange for any of Liberia’s natural resources, including the Wologisi Mountain?”
Additionally, it the party question why the Boakai administration violate the PFM law and concealed $US254M, to be borrowed during 2024 calendar year, adding that the Boakai administration reported within the National Budget only $US45M as money to be borrowed in 2024, instead of disclosing the actual amount of $US296M.
Further, LPP also called for clarification of the 100-day deliverables, specifically, regarding the evaluation method that the Unity Party used to claim that 74% of major roads are passable during all seasons, adding that NAMOTE, and CENTAL, amongst other independent evaluations have created more doubts over the government’s claim of success. LPP demands an independent audit of the 100-day deliverables.
The Liberian People’s Party was formed in 1983 as the electoral wing of the Movement for Justice in Africa, a leftist pan-African group. The party’s founding members were key figures in the struggle for multiparty democracy in Liberia during the 1970s and ‘80s. Party member Amos Sawyer served as President of the Interim Government of National Unity in 1990–94. Other members including Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh, Dr. Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh and Tiawan Gongloe Jr. ran as president on the party’s ticket.
