Boakai marks first month in office

By Lincoln G. Peters 

President Joseph Nyumah Boakai on Thursday, 22 February 2024 completed his first month in office following his inauguration on 22 January this year, but no sign of his 100-day promises yet.

Questions as to whether he will meet his deliverables having gone one month before commissioning his cabinet and other officials of his administration on Thursday, February 22, remains to be seen.

President Boakai slowly formed his cabinet weeks after he was inaugurated and there is hope that with their commissioning, he could begin to work on his 100-day promises but whether he will fulfill them is another argument for another day.

The commissioned officers are part of a set up of a team he relies on to achieve the hundred-day deliverables that he promised the Liberian people. 

The 26th Liberian President democratically succeeded former President George Manneh Weah following the 14 November 2023 Presidential runoff election.

Boakai and his government have been criticized for how slow they have been in forming the government since the Unity Party (UP) was declared winner of the election last year.

Others believe that this level of delay could affect the achievement of the hundred days deliverables.

The Executive Summary of the hundred-day deliverables states the government’s plan to safely prepare the pathway to rescue the country.

It seeks to put the country back on a trajectory that will build a stronger, more robust, responsive economy driven by accountability as its hallmark.

It further seeks to provide opportunities and prosperity for all Liberians regardless of political and religious affiliations. 

Copy of the UP-led government’s Hundred Days deliverable plan is in the possession of this paper.

The document discloses that the goal of the 100-Day Plan is to demonstrate short-term progress that will lead to a one-year plan, a National Development Agenda underpinning the President’s vision articulated in the “ARREST” agenda and building momentum for an integrated, transparent, and transformative nationwide agenda.

One of the key targets in the first 100 days of the new administration is the fight against corruption. The document suggests that the nation’s first action to rebuild the economy and reduce the cost of living is the fight against corruption.

 “In this light, the following needs to be done to realize this objective, commission comprehensive audit of all MACs. Conduct Forensic Audit across the government beginning with MFDP and CBL and Introduce Fiscal Rules and Travel Ordinances,” it said.

The government seeks to commission audit of budget allocations and implementation, review income and expenditure across all ministries, agencies, and commissions (MACs), and ensure effective strengthening of anti-corruption institutions.

The government further seeks to review human resource personnel hiring processes across all MACs.

President Boakai’s hundred days deliverables also seek to address Payroll of Civil Servant, Salary disparities, Overstaffing, Salaries Arrears, and Transfer the existing payroll management system (i.e., Alternative Temporary Automated 

Payroll System- ATAPS) to the Civil Service Module (CSM).  

The Unity Party government plan also aims to retrieve all government assets from former government officials and unauthorized users.

Importantly on roads, the government’s hundred-day deliverables seek to ensure that all primary corridors remain pliable during all weather along with all drainage systems being kept clean during all weather and the revision of contract performance, and assessment of corridor.

It aims to develop output Performance Base Contract (OPRC); identify funding sources and secure Single Source Contract (PPCC), for the deployment of contractors.