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‘We will not fold our arms’  

--Boakai warns against symptoms of insurgency

By Lincoln G. Peters

Former Liberian Vice President Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai has warned here that citizens will not fold their arms and allow an irresponsible government to invite another crisis in the country.

Boakai told a press conference at the Unity Party (UP) headquarters in Monrovia Wednesday, 16 November 2022 that under President George Manneh Weah, Liberia is threatened by the same factors that were used by insurgents to destroy the country.

“Today, we are threatened by the same reasons that were used by insurgents to destroy our country. As responsible citizens, we will not fold our arms and allow an irresponsible Government to invite another crisis to Liberia,” Amb. Boakai warned. 

Boakai reminded the Weah regime that Liberia is a post-war country, recalling that in the name of democracy, thousands of innocent Liberians and foreign lives were lost in the country’s successive wars that shocked the world.

He pointed out that the reasons provided by leaders of the insurgencies as justifications were bad governance, corruption, and misuse of public office.

In the case of the military government, he said insurgents cited its failure to properly organize and preside over free and fair democratic elections in 1985.

The Unity Party political leader predicted a possible re-occurrence of Liberia’s dark and ugly past if the administration of President Weah continues to play deaf ears and insensitivity to the growing plights of the Liberian people.

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The opposition politician further indicated that not only did the 14-year civil war destroy innocent and valuable lives, but Liberians were degraded.

He noted that homes and farms were destroyed, families were scattered and condemned to hopelessness, adding that Liberians were displaced at home and abroad, and Liberia was made miserable.

The former vice president noted that these are all history known to all.

He stated that because of the very history and sad national experience, it has been expected that post-war governments would be mindful of the need to work hard and improve the living conditions of Liberians.

“On the contrary, Liberians are today suffering even more under the George Weah Government,” lamented Amb. Boakai.

“Never have we seen such a display of reckless disregard for the concerns of the people of this country,” he continued.

“Never have we seen so much display of greed, selfishness, carelessness, corruption, and irresponsibility at the highest level of government.”

Boakai claimed that never have Liberians seen a president of Liberia become a laughingstock or joke in the world, and never have Liberians lived under a government that brings so much shame and disgrace to the country.

“These are the visible realities of our nation today,” Amb. Boakai disclosed.

He suggested that as graphic as these bruising situations are, Liberians have a president who takes on an attitude of indifference.

He alleged that while the nation finds itself in crises of varying propositions, looming threats to the national census, non-payment of salaries, the rice situation, and the gloomy electoral environment, President Weah is on a grand safari.

He accused the president of allegedly using the nation’s meager resources to support his pleasurable lifestyle.

The main opposition leader lamented that to the best of his knowledge, a presidential tour, especially one of an extended period of more than one month, should have a clear itinerary.

He argued that the itinerary must show not only where the president will be at a particular point in time, but also the intended benefits that would accrue to the nation.

Unfortunately, Boakai said, Liberians have 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.

Worse of it all, he said the president then declares a public holiday that has no meaning but a serious negative impact on the Liberian economy. 

‘’Yes, we are aware, and with no surprise, that he will eventually end up at the World Cup events in Qatar,” Boakai said of the former Liberian soccer icon-turned-politician, Mr. Weah.

He said this is President Weah’s mainstay. According to Boakai, President Weah’s posture of indifference, as stated earlier, is amplified by what is happening with the government’s inability to pay civil servants on time.

He also lamented its accompanying ripple effects on parents who cannot settle their kids’ school fees and the prevailing conditions at medical facilities across the country.

The former Vice President alleged that all evidence available shows that greed and carelessness in the Weah government are fully responsible for the occasional shortage of basic commodities like food and gas in the small economy.

He stated that there is no other way in which the Weah government can demonstrate the ability to lead Liberia in the right direction. 

The UP political leader said unlike Mr. Weah and his corrupt officials, he is clear that the administration of government in a post-war country, or any country for that matter, is not a play-play thing.

“So, what must be done to rescue Liberia and restore hope? In the first place, the Weah government must be removed from power in 2023 so that serious efforts can be made to better Liberia and protect the interest of future generations,” Boakai admonished Liberians. 

“This will be done through the decisive and popular vote of the Liberian people in 2023,” he recommended.

In a related development, Amb. Boakai has called for the conduct of a free, fair, transparent, and credible electoral process.

He insisted on the timely registration of voters through the biometric system to avoid the duplication of votes and the manipulation of election results.

“We, therefore, challenge the NEC [National Elections Commission] to provide timely the needed education and awareness to the population to ensure a credible outcome,” Boakai said.

He explained that elections are very contentious issues, the conduct of which he said, must be done with a high degree of transparency and fairness.

The Unity Party political leader said Liberia’s history shows that the mishandling of elections has significantly contributed to the conflict.

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The New Dawn is Liberia’s Truly Independent Newspaper Published by Searchlight Communications Inc. Established on November 16, 2009, with its first hard copy publication on January 22, 2010. The office is located on UN Drive in Monrovia Liberia. The New Dawn is bilingual (both English & French).
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