PHOTO: Former VP Joseph Boakai
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The main opposition Unity Party leader, Joseph Boakai has strongly criticized the leadership of President George Manneh Weah, describing the Liberian leader as a “laughingstock or joke in the world”, as former Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai says he is open to work with the Weah government.
Mr. Samukai, who is a top member of the Unity Party, is the nephew of the UP Standard Bearer, and he told a local radio that he has no immediate intention to contest for an elective position.
Former Vice President Boakai told a news conference in Monrovia on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, likened President Weah’s leadership to a ship that continues to a rudderless ship on open seas without a captain.
According to Ambassador Boakai, never have the Liberians seen such a display of reckless disregard for the concerns of the people of this country. “On the contrary, Liberians are today suffering even more under the George Weah government.”
“Never have we seen so much display of greed, selfishness, carelessness, corruption, and irresponsibility at the highest level of government. Never have we seen a Liberian President become a “Never have we lived under a government that brings so much shame and disgrace to our country.”
The former Vice President’s stinging criticism of Liberia’s international football icon-turned politician comes as President Weah continues his marathon trip abroad that is now going into a month and is expected to last until mid-December.
“While the nation finds itself in crises of varying propositions he explained, the looming threat to the national census, non-payment of salaries, the rice situation, the gloomy electoral environment. President is on a grand safari, using the nation’s meager resources to support his pleasurable lifestyle,” said Mr. Boakai who served for twelve years as VP under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whose regime he said, during the 2017 elections, had “squandered opportunities” it had.
“To the best of our knowledge, a Presidential tour, especially one of an extended period of more than one month, should have a clear itinerary that shows not only where the President will be at a particular point in time, but also the intended benefits that would accrue to the nation,” said Mr. Boakai who is poised to again challenge President Weah in the October 2023 polls.
“Here we are, unfortunately, with a President who leaves the nation for seven weeks with no information to the public detailing engagements he would have on behalf of the country, then he declares a public holiday that has no meaning but serious negative impact on the Liberian economy.
We are aware, and with no surprise, that he will eventually end up at the world cup events in Qatar and that is his main stay,” the former VP said.
Criticism of Census as corrupt
On the national census, the former Vice President noted that the census preparation has been marred by controversies, characterized by outright corruption and lack of well-defined policies.
Despite reports from Monrovia and other parts of Liberia of virtually no census activity on Friday, November 11, 2022, the government and international partners have said “the Census is now on track and has commenced as of 11 November 2022”.
The international partners spoke against politicizing the census exercise.
Gov’t And International Partners Say “The Census Is Now On Track” But… – News Public Trust
But former VP Boakai said: “Recently, we witnessed the hauling and pulling in a saga of stealing of money intended for the Census by corrupt officials at the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS),”
“Is LISGIS really ready to conduct a comprehensive national census?” he asked.
“Are the staffs who were hurriedly recruited and claimed trained able to efficiently and effectively, collect the critical national data needed to set benchmarks and policies that will transform the development of the country?” the main opposition Unity Party leader Boakai wondered.
The former Vice President also indicated that the haphazard partisan training, which was also marred by dissatisfaction, demonstrations and protests across the nation. He said this points to the fact that the CDC-led government has not realized the seriousness and critical nature of the national census, as without these realistic empirical data, all planning for the country will be based on falsehood lacking the basis to make critical national developmental decisions.
“Because the acts of gross mismanagement and unaccountability of budgetary funds at LISGIS, I believe such corrupt acts have undermined the process that is very crucial to the nation and to our partners for national development purposes,” former VP Boakai added.