By Our Staff Writer
While criticizing his predecessors for riding luxurious cars in 2024, Pres. Boakai even alluded and echoed so loud that “he can ride a wheelbarrow.” Is this the “wheelbarrow” that he was talking about? -Martin K. N. Kollie-See FULL TEXT OF HIS PRESS STATEMENT BELOW:
The Executive Mansion in Monrovia has remained tightlipped on President Joseph Boakai’s recent purchase of a luxury bullet proof Lexus vehicle, which is reported to be costing between US$300,000.00-US$400,000.00 from the national coffers, amid widespread public criticism of the move.
“We condemn Pres. Boakai for his display of ultra opulence while millions of Liberians are jobless, and tens of thousands of civil servants remain underpaid and working poor. President Boakai is flaunting Luxury while tens of thousands of public school teachers, health workers, security personnel, and civil servants in general remain largely underpaid and unpaid. Our investigation has confirmed that Pres. Boakai, who promised to run a modest government in 2023, now rides in a 2025 Lexus LX 700HR Super Ultra Luxury SUV valued between US$115,000 and US$150,000,” said prominent political activist Martin K. N. Kollie, who has since broken ranks with Boakai’s Unity Party’s “Rescue Mission”.
Since Mr. Kollie broke the news about the purchase of the luxury vehicle and displayed images on his Facebook page over the weekend, neither the vocal Information Minister nor the President’s press Secretary has commented to dispute the luxury vehicle was purchased or its cost.
On local radio live phone-in talk shows, citizens have condemned the move by the Boakai administration, with some describing the purchase of this very expensive vehicle as “hypocrisy” since in fact Boakai and his UP previously lambast former President George Manneh Weah for doing similar thing when they were in opposition.
Some opposition politicians have also condemned President Boakai and said it was a “betrayal of trust”.
One of them, the Secretary General of the opposition Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), Jeremiah Paye condemned the decision.
In a statement, Mr. Paye strongly criticized the purchase of the luxury Lexus by President Boakai as an act of selfishness at a time when Liberians are facing dire economic hardships.
“This decision comes at a time when public school teachers are protesting underpayment, clinics are without essential medicines, farmers are lamenting lack of support, and citizens are demanding jobs. The President is rescuing himself, not the people,” the MOVEE Secretary General said in a statement.
SEE FULL TEXT OF MARTIN KOLLIE’S PRESS STATEMENT BELOW:
Press Statement for Immediate Release
We condemn Pres. Boakai for his display of ultra opulence while millions of Liberians are jobless, and tens of thousands of civil servants remain underpaid and working poor
March 28, 2025
President Boakai is flaunting Luxury while tens of thousands of public school teachers, health workers, security personnel, and civil servants in general remain largely underpaid and unpaid. Our investigation has confirmed that Pres. Boakai, who promised to run a modest government in 2023, now rides in a 2025 Lexus LX 700HR Super Ultra Luxury SUV valued between US$115,000 and US$150,000.
Amid increasing public discontent and student protests, President Boakai seems to ignore the harsh conditions he once criticized under ex-president Weah. When ex-president Weah flaunted his luxurious vehicles, including a Polaris Slingshot, President Boakai criticized him.
Today, we note with disapproval of Pres. Boakai’s use of a Lexus Super Ultra SUV amid extreme hardship across Liberia. This is opulence, too, and we condemn it. This is not modesty. This is a public waste. While criticizing his predecessors for riding luxurious cars in 2024, Pres. Boakai even alluded and echoed so loud that “he can ride a wheelbarrow.” Is this the “wheelbarrow” that he was talking about?
If it was wrong yesterday in the world’s eighth poorest country with an unemployment rate of over 90 percent, it is also wrong today. Last Fiscal Year 2024, a whopping US$1.1 million was spent off-budget only to buy cars for Pres. Boakai and VP Koung’s convoys. In the coming days, we will evoke the 2010 Freedom of Information (FOI) Law, compelling EPS Director Sam Gaye to make public the financial report of the purchases for the US$1.1 million cars.
We call on Pres. Boakai to readjust and take a moment to reflect on what he promised our people in 2023. This was never the promise made in 2023 to flaunt with Lexus Super Ultra Luxury SUV while our people suffer and struggle every day to eke out a living. This is not “Rescue”. No president rescues a poor and aid-dependent country with such extravagance.
Our hospitals and schools are deplorable due to financial constraints, but you are comfortably riding a Lexus. Monrovia and almost everywhere in Liberia are dark and lacking safe drinking water, quality education, advanced medical care, improved housing, social security and welfare, but you are riding Lexus Super Ultra Luxury SUV. This is a promise betrayed. While such an opulence is on display, there are thousands of volunteer teachers and health workers, including doctors, who are still not on payroll.
Someone must tell the President the truth. And we are committed to that for the sake of our people and country.
Signed: Martin K. N. Kollie
Exiled Liberian Activist