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On April 25, 2024 the Assemblies of God Church in Liberia officially informed Liberians and the world at large about th...
25/04/2024

On April 25, 2024 the Assemblies of God Church in Liberia officially informed Liberians and the world at large about the elevation of its Bible College to a Full-Fledged University in Liberia by the National Commission on Higher Education. To God be the glory.

30/01/2024

"A MESSAGE WITHOUT SOLUTIONS: President Joseph Boakai’s SONA, High on Clinches and Barren Rhetorics, Low on Specific Policy Prescriptions." A RESPONSE BY THE COALITION FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE TO PRESIDENT JOSEPH BOAKAI’S 1ST State of the Nation Address

CDC Headquarters
Congo Town
Monrovia, Liberia
January 29, 2024

Members of the Governing Council and the National Executive Committee,

The Speaker, and Members of the CDC Legislative Caucus,
Members of the Mighty Coalition for Democratic Change
Members of other affiliating political parties,
The people of Liberia.

Today, we have gathered here at this sacred and historic national headquarters of the CDC to respond to the State of the Nation address delivered a few hours ago by H.E Joseph Boakai in fulfilling a requirement enshrined in section 58 of our constitution.

Before doing so, we must first extend our deepest appreciation to the close to one million Liberians, who through their votes expressed confidence and appreciation for the many achievements carried- out by the CDC-led government over the last six years. Even though we lost the legal authority to govern by less than a percentage point two months ago, the verdict of the Liberian people, as I mentioned in our concession speech a fortnight ago, was practically split in the middle.

This decision makes our country a divided nation in critical and urgent need for reconciliation, inclusion, and the maintenance of peace and stability. Despite the results of the elections, the CDC remains grateful to all Liberians for their peaceful participation in our recent presidential and legislative elections. We note, however with regrets, acts of violence perpetrated by the current ruling party - the Unity Party, which resulted in the brutal killings of members of the CDC including partisan Tamba Momo in the Foyah's unprovoked attack at the home of Hon. Thomas Fallah. We are still grieving the killing of partisan Joshua Solomon, who is alleged to have been murdered by a partisan mob of the Unity Party under the command of one of President Joseph Boakai's confidantes, Queen Johnson; and we cannot also forget the sad murder of partisan Aloysius Bain in Nimba, Carrie’s out by MDR operatives.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may we kindly take a moment of silence as we remember those falling heroes just mentioned, and other victims not here mentioned, but who fell prey to the systematic acts of violence sponsored and perpetrated by the Unity Party during the period of our elections last year. As we moved forward under a different responsibility, the CDC still takes pride that our democracy is stronger, enviable, and envied by our friends in West Africa and many parts of the world because we chose peace over violence.

The CDC chose Liberia’s stability over maintaining power. We chose setting an unprecedented democratic process, and credentials over the pleasantry that comes with holding power. We sacrificed our ambition for continued governance for the peace and growth of Liberia. And so, even while we were being murdered, we were more concerned about the safety of our dear country; At the same time, we were being cheated, we were more concerned about upholding the integrity of our election process, which is an essential cornerstone of our democracy.

Additionally, CDC is proud of all that it achieved in the last six years, which many have agreed is unprecedented for any president and government to accomplish in its 1st term in office, especially the conditions under which we took over the mantle of the state, in-spite of the Covid 19 pandemic, which was effectively contained and prevented from derailing our development goals.

As we highlight those conditions, and what we did accomplish, let me quickly remind all of us that though CDC narrowly lost the presidential election, it will never lose its commitment to fighting for good governance, and the well-being of all Liberians. The CDC has therefore made it clear to all its lawmakers, amongst whom are the speaker and deputy speaker, to uphold this commitment, and use it as the most important measure of cooperation between the legislature and executive branch of government.

❖ Boakai’s Blind Vision

The President of Liberia while addressing the legislators unveiled a vision he termed as ARREST. Clearly, without mentioning how this vision may be implemented or paid for, and lacking strategy and specification for its implementation, is nothing more than an unrealistic campaign sloganeering. Said vision is built on impracticality, vagueness, and dishonesty. The entire address by President Boakai was high on bland clichés, bereft of even the rudimentary ingredients for a sound legislative agenda, falling short of substantive economic or transformative details.

❖ The State of the Nation

Contrary to President Boakai’s claim that the ‘State of the Nation is in distress’, even though he offered no policy prescription or solution on how he intends to “Rescue” this situation, except for saying he would “think outside the box”. We like to report to you that the CDC left the state of our nation stronger than it met in 2018. For example, President Boakai is inheriting 222.7 million US Dollars in the net international reserve, and over US$40 million in the consolidated account as of January 17, 2023. This amount was left behind by the CDC government compared to the under 7 million the CDC inherited when it took power from the Sirleaf/Boakai-led government in 2017.

The CDC is appalled that even at this early stage, President Boakai would seek to mislead the public about the financial situation of our country by disputing the figures quoted by former President Weah during his farewell statement on 21st January 2024 which are available. We challenge President Boakai to publish the statement of the consolidated account of the period within 48 hours or the CDC will make public copies of the same.

On the question of his asserted comments on the budget deficit, it must be noted the FY 2023 budget was recast after actual revenue collection amounted to USD 710 million was achieved. This actual collection represented the highest amount of revenue collected in contemporary Liberia; While serving as Vice President of this republic, his government never got close to this amount of revenue actualized.

The Unity Party government, at the close of 2017, concealed several domestic debts, including USD 107 million from the IMF through the CBL, and USD 65 million from commercial banks, amongst others, and willfully failed to recognize these debts as part of the domestic debt stock. This represented a gross understatement of debt stock. Of the 2.2 billion debt stock reported, about 60% was contracted under the Unity Party regime.

❖ Agriculture in Limbo

During the campaign, then Candidate Boakia prided himself as the Agriculture Czar and could use agriculture for immediate economic revitalization and social transformation. On the contrary, while addressing the legislature in his State of the Nation, President Boakai offered nothing new, nor any specific strategy for agriculture growth except that he provided a vague vision of “strengthening collaboration with international partners and local farmers to improve production.’’ How such will be achieved, or will achieve growth is left to the imagination of Liberians and our partners alike.

❖ Legislative Agenda

The President seems to have forgotten that many of the bills he seeks to propose as a pillar of his legislative agenda were already submitted to the previous National Legislature. The CDC offers its support in this regard to ensure those bills, of which it is the progenitor, are passed.
President Boakai during the campaign and his inaugural speech was very direct and forceful on an Establishment War and Economic Crime Courts for Liberia. This commitment is even heavily backed by our international partners and the locals, but two days ago his strongest ally Senator Prince Johnson mocked him and went further to attack the physical look of the President on such a stance.

We are convinced that President Boakai’s refusal today to reiterate his call for the Establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court, and set out a legislative pathway to ensure its establishment, is straightly predicated upon the threat coming from the Senator.

The president must act by submitting such a bill to the Legislature or the CDC will again petition its lawmakers to do the needful.

However, the world stands shocked that the President, who has boasted that he could establish the war and economic crimes court would backslide so early due to political pressure from his God-father ally. The CDC believes nothing is more urgent and pressing now than the call for justice and the rule of law of which the establishment of the War and Economy Crimes Court is a cardinal cornerstone as was contained in former President Weah’s letter to the previous legislature, to begin steps to ensure transitional justice in Liberia.

❖ Civil Servants

‘To make the government more effective and efficient, we must focus on public service deliveries. The people, not the government, must come first’ This sloganeering from President Boakai in dealing with the growth in the size of the civil servants is no strategy in mitigating or addressing the issue of civil servants' growth and wellbeing. The CDC introduced harmonization which it believes is the best policy and strategy to contain and sustain the growth of civil servants’ salaries.

That President Boakai did not offer any new policy in contradiction to this policy is a veiled acceptance that all of his and the Unity party’s criticism was vainglorious and pandering to the voters.

Fellow citizens, in 2017 you embraced the Change for Hope manifesto that laid the foundation for the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD). The plan sought four different but interrelated pathways in achieving goals including human development, macroeconomic stability, job creation, infrastructure development, and sustainable peace and good governance.
For example, the CDC inherited a messy educational system, as described by the Unity Party’s former Standard Bearer, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and turned it into a success story. The CDC government restored confidence in the educational system by admitting Liberia to the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) regional examination, expanding access, and increasing learning outcomes of the WASSCE score from 38% to 85%. With the payment of WASSCE fees for all 9th and 12th graders in public schools, about 240 thousand students benefited from the government-free WASSCE program. This program reduced the financial burden on poor families directly.

In addition to the renovation and improvement of health facilities, the government constructed three major hospitals in Gbaporlu, Rivercess, and Margibi while an additional four regional referral hospitals are under construction. With the deployment and employment of more qualified health workers, more than 85 percent of births are now attended by skilled health attendants, which has contributed to the reduction in home deliveries and maternal mortality.

We took a giant step to ensure prudent fiscal management policies leading to a reduction in inflation from nearly 40 percent in 2018 to about 7 percent in 2023. The most drastic reduction in inflation in the region. The Administration also restricted using overdrafts from the Central Bank to bridge financing gaps in the national budget and also used effective tax administration to increase domestic resource mobilization from 445M in 2017 to 668M in 2023. We increased Liberia's net reserve from 94M in 2017 to about 223m in 2023. Our consolidated account turnover balance increased from 7 M in 2018 it about 40M in 2023.
Fellow Liberians There have been significant efforts made to build infrastructure to facilitate economic growth including the pavement of primary roads up to about 289.7km meters and also urban roads of about 96.4 km as of June 2023. At the end of 2023, it is projected that about 454 kilometers of road shall have been paved by the CDC government. The cost of electricity has drastically decreased from 38 cents to an average of 18 cents per kilowatt and access has increased from 22% in 2018 to 30% in 2022. Additionally, power theft has been substantially reduced, from 60 percent in 2017 to 43 percent in 2022, and now stands at only 30.5 percent, this being accomplished by 100 percent Liberian management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).

In our effort to maintain the rule of law, the judiciary has remained independent in its work while coordinating to improve the overall system of jurisprudence. With the training of new magistrates, most of our courts of original jurisdiction and first instance are now manned by highly trained personnel. The case adjudication rate has increased within the judiciary while the magisterial setting mechanism has been instituted to reduce pretrial detainees and the overcrowding of prison facilities.

The government of Liberia succeeded in passing two landmark acts including the Local Government Act and the Land Right Acts to address self-governance, tenure of rights, and a mechanism for the formalization of community land rights. In 2009, the government conducted a harmonization process that provided an opportunity to reduce waste in the public wage bill, eliminated duplications, and provided means for equal work for an equal pay system within the government.
On July 30, 2020, an online platform: The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) was launched under the theme: “Public Financial Management Reforms (PFMR) for Institutional Strengthening Project while establishing an online procurement system linked with IFMIS deployed to 25 Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs). In continuation of the equal work for equal pay process, there has been a uniform compensation scheme established for all State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
In the fight to restore integrity to the financial system, the government supported the deployment of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) in more than 70% of government institutions and introduced the scorecard system that monitors compliance with financial regulations. Moreover, the audit of the government consolidated account has become regular with significant improvements in financial management. Today, the government receives Unqualified opinions from the GAC on the audit of the consolidated account as compared to Disclaimer in 2017 during the UP regime. In simple terms, the Auditors were saying “We cannot touch your report and saying to the CDC thank you for the way you managing the country's money. meaning auditors could not heretofore recognize the flow of accounting to determine whether government revenues were being spent and accounted for wisely.
While we think the President is completely out of touch with the realities in Liberia or may have been misinformed by his cronies, the CDC with its thorough understanding of the real-life situation of the Liberian people after six years, would like to proffer this constructive advice to the Unity Party-led government if they are serious about announced plans to transform the livelihood of the Liberian people.

The government should build on the gains made under the PAPD and strive to make Liberia a middle-income country by increasing the wealth of the country; reducing the vulnerability of the people through the creation of multiple sustainable livelihood opportunities for all Liberians. The pathway to achieving this will be to invest in human capital development, improve the governance mechanism of the country, continue to unlock the binding constraints to economic development, create more jobs through competitiveness, and green our economy.
Fellow Liberians, while we are bracing ourselves and our president for the level of stability we have maintained since the departure of UNMIL, we see danger ahead of Liberia with the early indications shown by President Boakai. Firstly, the appointment of CLLR Cooper Kruah, a direct protégé to one of Liberia's notorious Warlords adds to the pronounced national security threat made by his power-wielded puppet master, Senator Prince Johnson. Cllr. Kruah's confirmation will undermine our legal system and the quest to establish a War and economic crimes Court for Liberia.
Fellow Liberians, the CDC reiterates its commitment to a democratic Liberia even whilst in opposition. Under the leadership of our standard bearer, we will continue to uphold our solemn pledge to the Liberian people to speak out in the name of peace, prosperity, and development.
We will continue to provide alternative prescriptions and offer policy options for the forward march of our beloved country. This is what we set out to do when we founded the Masses Movement in 2004, and this is what we will remain committed to.
Long Live, Long Live Liberia!
Long Live, Long Live the CDC!
Amandla, Ngawaytu

Annual MessageByHis Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.President of the Republic of LiberiaThe Capitol Building, Monrovi...
29/01/2024

Annual Message
By
His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.
President of the Republic of Liberia
The Capitol Building, Monrovia

January 29 2024


The Rescue Mission: Rebuilding Public Trust


MR. VICE PRESIDENT,
MR. SPEAKER,
MADAM PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE,
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE,
MADAM CHIEF JUSTICE AND JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT,
THE DOYEN AND MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
HEADS AND OFFICIALS OF POLITICAL PARTIES,
REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR INTERNATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS,
PRELATES AND IMAMS,
OUR TRADITIONAL LEADERS,
MEMBERS OF THE FOURTH ESTATE,
MY FELLOW LIBERIANS, DISTINGUISHED LADIES, AND GENTLEMEN.
We are thankful to the Lord Almighty, the Preserver of our State for His abundant blessings upon us. As the world confronts various crises – wars, pandemics, climate change, and migration – we pray for a better, more peaceful, sustainable, and inclusive global order.
Exactly one week ago, Vice President Jeremiah Koung and I took the oath of office as an array of world leaders, friends, and citizens of Liberia at home and in the Diaspora looked on. That solemn occasion marked yet another historical moment in our democracy as we carried out a transfer of power.
In obedience of my constitutional duty, it is an honor to come before this august Body, the people’s representatives, to report on the national situation as we met it and present our agenda for development in the coming year.
We must acknowledge the harsh realities that face us, as we report that the state of our nation is not what we desire. It is important to note the problems that confront us: Poverty, drug epidemic, corruption, poor infrastructure, and an underperforming economy. The current challenges present us with a unique opportunity to embark on a new journey of hope. This is our commitment to rescue the nation!
Our Vision
Our vision, as revealed in ARREST (meaning, Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, Tourism) shall guide the preparation of the new Medium-term National Development Plan for the welfare of our people. We must harness opportunities in agriculture, roads, and other infrastructure development; improve the rule of law, rethink the education sector, improve sanitation, and unlock the potential of tourism.
We believe that creating economic linkages between these development facets and reinforcing them will help reverse years of economic downturns.
The State of the Economy
The state of the economy is a cause for concern, with many of our citizens facing perennial unemployment and economic instability. We must not just recognize the pain and frustration that permeate our society, but also work together to introduce and pass legislations that will prioritize economic reforms that foster sustainable economic growth and job creation.
Distinguished Legislators, economic growth slowed between 2022 and 2023, from 4.8 percent to 4.6 percent. The rate of growth averaged about 1.5 percent, compared with 3.1 percent between 2012 and 2017 due in part to an underperforming economy and the existing geo-political global environment. During the past six years, the economy faced challenges in terms of growth, job creation, and poverty reduction.
Inflation during the period 2023 rose to 10.1 percent at the end of December, from 7.6 percent in 2022. Revenue collection as reported for 2023 stood at US$710.23 million while expenditure totaled US$796.32 million; hence, a large budget deficit of over US$80 million.
We intend to change this state of the economy by thinking “outside the box”; a paradigm shift away from reliance on primary commodity export to focusing on value addition with the private sector as the engine to drive the economy. Under my Administration, the empowerment of Liberian entrepreneurship through more support will help bring back THE MADE IN LIBERIA quest for inclusive and sustainable growth and jobs. In our quest to expand the economy, we will leverage Information Communication Technology (ICT) in creating jobs, especially for our youth. To achieve this, my Administration will train up to 10,000 young people in various digital skills in the first half of 2024. The Liberian middle-class goal must be a reality in the next 6 years.
The net international reserves position reported at the end of December 2023 was US$220 million. The report of US $40 million as the GoL’s consolidated account balance as at January 19, 2024 is not supported by the fact. The balance reported by the CBL as of the same date was US$20.5 million, highly encumbered, NOT US$40 million. To this end, we re-emphasize our earlier commitment to audit and ensure that regular audits will be a culture across all branches of government, not only the Executive.
The stock of public debt at End-December 2023 stood at US$2.21 billion, an increase of 8.67 percent compared to end-December 2022 stock of US$2.08 billion. This represents a sharp increase of US$1.33 billion compared to the end of December 2017 stock of US$878.17 million (representing 601.8 percent rise). Our debt burden has clearly grown astronomically. Certainly, the rescue mission was a necessity for Liberia’s transformation.
As I am speaking, Liberia is under sanction for lack of payment of dues to the African Union and the African Development Bank. Also, a default in payment of about US$650,000 to the European Investment Bank is preventing a disbursement of over US$13 million for the Sanniquellie-Loguato road.
We will reintroduce the Fiscal Rules and Travel Ordinance in addition to other measures to help address waste and abuse and ensure the return of prudent fiscal management. We will ensure that the executive leads by example.
Agriculture
Liberia is endowed with abundant natural resources. With over 40% of West Africa's rainforest, our country is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna that should help provide economic and agricultural growth opportunities. Liberia is also a leader in the discussion on climate change mitigation, further emphasizing the importance of international partnerships for sustainable agricultural production and development.
However, it is important to recognize that our available arable land is underutilized. My Government is committed to harnessing the right resources and strengthening collaboration with international partners and local farmers to improve production.
Legislative Agenda
Our legislative agenda is aimed at working with you in doing the business of the people for which proposed legislation will be submitted in the coming months. We will focus on shaping the outcomes we desire from our development agenda. The following constitute our agenda:
The Presidential Transition Act
A Presidential Transition Act was drafted in 2017 to provide the appropriate legal framework for the seamless transition from one democratically elected president to the other. The draft bill has since been lingering with little or no action to move it to legislation. Given the difficulty in establishing the appropriate framework to guide the recent presidential transition, my Government will immediately review the draft bill for submission to the legislature for passage. When passed, the Presidential Transition Act will provide the legal basis for smooth transfer of political power.

Bill for the Establishment of the Ministry of Local Government.
This bill is aimed at advancing modalities to operationalize the Local Government Act passed in 2018 to fast-track the transitioning of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the new Ministry of Local Government. The Ministry of Local Government will have the authority to drive the Government’s decentralization program.
Operationalizing the Revenue Sharing Law
The Revenue Sharing Law needs to be synchronized with existing laws including the Project Financial Management Act (PFMA), and the current Revenue Code. The Revenue Sharing Law (passed in 2022) and these two other instruments were designed for different systems of Government.

While the new Revenue Sharing Act is designed to facilitate fiscal decentralization in a decentralized system of governance, the other two cater to a centralized system where the sub-national bodies do not have any authority to use a portion of locally generated revenue. This has left County Service Centers that should be functioning and raising revenue, often stranded to raise operational costs. We will work with the relevant institutions of Government to align the new Law with the existing Law; popularize the Law and ensure adherence and enforcement across the Country.
Passage of the National Tourism Bill
One of the major recommendations that came out of the mandate and functional review of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism was the need to divest culture and tourism from the Ministry of Information. A National Tourism bill has since been sent to the Legislature with a first public hearing. Improving tourism is one of the pillars of the ARREST agenda. We will work with the Legislature on the status of this bill pending necessary actions to complete this process. Once passed, Liberia will have a National Tourism Authority mandated to draw up regulations and the appropriate governing framework for the tourism sector.
Establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman
Passage of the Code of Conduct for public officials has not had the full effect of the Law. A major hurdle is a lack of ‘implementation infrastructure’. To this end, there is a need to establish the Office of the Ombudsman. When established, this office will supervise the enforcement of all provisions of the Code of Conduct and will also impose sanctions for infractions. We must begin looking at appointing an individual with the requisite moral standing to head and run the office.
Amendment to the New Financial Institution Act
As part of the CBL’s financial sector reform in 2023, the Bank submitted to the Office of the President a new Banking Law to replace the existing New Financial Institution Act of 1999. This Act was submitted to the National Legislature for enactment but is still pending passage. In the coming days, my Administration will work with the leadership of the Legislature to ensure the New Banking Act is passed into Law.
Amended and Restated Payments System Act
An Amended and Restated Payments System Act is currently being reviewed by my Administration. The Act, when passed into Law, will help strengthen the means of mobile payment across platforms and enhance a drive towards a cashless society.
Liberia Insurance Regulatory Commission Act
The Central Bank of Liberia is working on a draft Liberia Insurance Regulatory Commission Act which is currently being shared with stakeholders for their input following which, it will be submitted for passage into law. We are also working on a draft Bill for a National Health Insurance Scheme for Liberia. The Scheme is intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs for citizens and enhance access to affordable and quality healthcare.
2015 Paris Agreement
The threat of climate change to our environment and way of life is becoming obvious by the day, which is why we must join the rest of the world to address the causes of this phenomenon. I call on the legislature to work with us to begin looking at the Paris Agreement including the carbon market to ensure our national interest is protected.
A list of protocols, conventions, and other instruments will be forwarded to you for consideration and appropriate action.

Road Infrastructure Development
Expanding and improving the road network in our country remains a top priority for my Administration. While there has been some progress in the road and transport sector during the reviewed period, there remain considerable challenges in road development.
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Honorable Legislators, Ladies and Gentlemen: The total paved roads in our national road network amount to only 1,131.1km, representing 8.7% percent of the 13,000 km road network we need. This fact underscores considerable challenges in road infrastructure and the urgent need to fund road development in the country.
With assistance from friendly partners, the country made notable progress in paving some primary roads, including the corridors: the Gbarnga to Salayea, the Ganta to Saclepea, the Ganta to Yekepa, and the Sanniquellie to Loguato. In addition, as of now, 37.7 percent of work on the ELWA to RIA Road Project has been accomplished.
To access all county capitals, my Government will work to alleviate the problems faced by commuters using our primary roads, especially during the rainy season. This situation also causes major impediments to the economic development of our people, as these primary routes are major economic corridors to all parts of our country. The restoration of the County Road Maintenance Stations will be a key deliverable.

This is why we have commissioned a “NO CAR STUCK IN THE MUD” 100-DAY DELIVERABLE to make all major primary corridors pliable.
Our flagship road delivery program will include the Freeport to St. Paul Bridge Road. Having received funding through the Government of Japan, we will begin construction of a 4-lane road from the Gabriel Tucker Bridge to the Freeport of Monrovia. Additionally, the Government of Japan is expected to provide funds to expand the Gabriel Tucker Bridge to 4-lanes. The Government has also secured additional support from Japan for the conduct of feasibility studies for the expansion of the Freeport to St. Paul Bridge corridor. My Government will allocate funds to complete the 6.5 km Freeport to St. Paul Bridge Road.
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Madam Pro-Tempore, and Honorable Legislators:
My Government will ensure that funding from the National Road Fund is utilized to maintain and rehabilitate roads for the good of the public. Through the contribution of Liberians who pay their fuel levies from every gallon of gasoline or fuel oil they purchase; we will continue to expand our maintenance program in maintaining our existing network and the construction of new community roads.
Honorable Legislators, I would like you to join me in extending sincere gratitude to our development partners, which include the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Aid, the German Government, KFW, and GIZ. I would also like to thank our Arab partners, including the Saudi Fund, the Kuwaiti Fund, and BADEA as well as the Japanese Government and JICA, the Swedish Government, the Chinese Government and its China Aid program, the Norwegian Government, the Indian Government, the African Development Bank (AfDb), and ECOWAS for their many contributions to our infrastructure development.
FOREIGN POLICY
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Madam President Pro-Tempore, and Members of the Legislature:
As a founding member of most continental and multilateral institutions, we will continue to honor our obligations. Liberia continues to foster cordial relationships with other countries in the community of nations and maintains its current membership with multilateral organizations like the United Nations, ECOWAS, Mano River Union, and the African Union.
We will continue to pursue a policy of good neighborliness as we remain in peaceful coexistence with our immediate neighbors.
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Madam Pro-Temp, Honorable Legislators:
As a nation with a proud history of regional leadership, our standing among the comity of nations is undermined when we fail to meet our obligations as a sovereign state. Therefore, it is imperative to reclaim our standing in the comity of nations. My Government will work with the legislature to ensure arrears are settled.
The Civil Service
There are an estimated 70,000 employees, including appointed officials, in the Government of Liberia. These command a total wage of over US$300 million annually. This growth in the size of the government has not been proportional to the growth in revenue and the efficiency and effectiveness of the government. This means that wage continues to consume a sizeable portion of the total budget, strangulating service delivery and all initiatives and obligations of the government. So, the government faces a situation of stunted growth and non-investment in the lives of the people.
To make the government more effective and efficient, we must focus on public service deliveries. The people, not the government, must come first.
Health
Health and sanitation remain a major priority of our government.
In the health sector, my Government will prioritize the following:
• the availability of needed medical supplies and logistics in all public health institutions throughout the length and breadth of the nation
• regular, efficient, and robust monitoring and evaluation of health services in the country to accelerate the reduction of Maternal and Newborn Mortality
• establishment of regional diagnostic centers
• regulation of Health Care and pharmaceutical institutions in the country to meet international standards.

Our recent experience with Ebola and COVID-19 requires our full support in treating national public health with utmost importance in Liberia as it relates to emergency preparedness and response. This requires a more coordinated way of building a more resilient health infrastructure to address current health challenges and future health shocks.
Honorable Legislators:
00The drug epidemic, especially the use of “KUSH”, in our country is an existential threat eating away at the future of our children and the country. We must stand up and face this national security risk together. Given the need for immediate action to make good my pledge to the thousands of families burdened by this crisis, I am hereby declaring Drugs and Substance abuse as a Public Health Emergency. In this direction, I am establishing a multisectoral steering committee comprising the following agencies:
• Ministry of Health – Chair
• Ministry of Justice – Co-Chair
• Ministry of Youth and Sports- Member
• Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection - Member
• Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) – Member
• Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) – Member
In this fight, me and my Vice President, we will be the first to take a drug test and I urge all others to follow.
Education
Education remains a beacon of hope, but our educational system has seen a downward spiral over the years, leaving countless Liberian children without the tools they need to build a better tomorrow. It is a problem we must confront head-on. Education is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right. We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that a significant portion of our population is struggling with a lack of access to quality education. And there is no other way that we can genuinely seek to successfully fight poverty without the provision of quality education for our people.
Starting now, my Administration is making a steadfast commitment to revitalize our educational system. We will invest in education infrastructure and provide adequate resources. In this, we crave your support.
Good Governance:
Honorable Legislators, our commitment to good governance is unwavering. Transparency, accountability, and the rule of law will guide our actions. We will fight corruption and build institutions that serve the people's interests. A government that is accountable to its citizens is a government that can truly serve the needs of its people.
Mr. Vice President and President of the Senate, Mr. Speaker, and members of the Legislature, our justice system which is meant to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, has been marred by inefficiency, corruption, and lack of public trust. I am counting on this honorable Body to pass effective legislation and support financial appropriations that will help us win the fight against corruption. Anyone caught in the act of corruption will face the full weight of the law, with swift and non-discriminatory enforcement.
Democratic Elections
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Madam President Pro-Tempore, and Honorable Legislators:
We have had a successive peaceful transfer of power, establishing our credentials as an emerging democracy following a civil war. But while we proudly celebrate this achievement, we are not oblivious to the bottlenecks that regularly attend our elections and mar the electoral process.
One of the vexing problems we noted during our past elections is voter registration and the associated logistical problems, which tend to frustrate and anger voters and political parties. My Government will strengthen the National Identification Registry (NIR) to build the needed capacity to be able to capture the comprehensive biometric data needed to feed all agencies including the National Elections Commission. In addition, my Government will begin to review and implement electoral reform laws.
The Diaspora
Mr. President of the Senate, Mr. Speaker, and members of the legislature, our Liberian brothers and sisters in the Diaspora are an integral part of our nation – they are an extension of our national pride. They share in our nation’s happiness and sadness. They are readily responsive to the needs of family members and friends in times of difficulty. Liberians in the Diaspora have a stake in the future of Liberia and my Administration will be intentional about ensuring that their stake in Liberia is fully harnessed. I have therefore proposed an annual Diaspora Conference on National Development.
I commend the actions of the 54th Legislature and the past administration for their actions to remove the unfair burden of citizenship against Liberians who have chosen to explore opportunities in other parts of the world. I am glad that the slogan, “once a Liberian, always a Liberian” now has true meaning. We will establish clear and predictable policies and links where Diaspora Liberians can play more meaningful roles in Liberia’s future.
Necrology
The nation lost some of its prominent citizens during the year in review. Special condolences go to the families of the victims of the tanker explosion in Totota, B**g County. Among those who have joined our ancestors are: Former Asst. Minister, Mr. Victor Daniel Krakue – 90 years; Ambassador Hannah Abeodu Bowen-Jones – 89 years; Commissioner James Joway McGill, Sr – 86 years; Deputy Minister, Cllr. Edward Kpingbah Goba – 78 years old, Senator Daniel Naathen of Gbarpulo County, and former Deputy Speaker Hans Barchue of Grand Bassa County.
We also, mourn all those who lost their lives during the just-ended Legislative and Presidential elections.
A fuller list will be published.
Conclusion
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Madam Pro Tempore, and Honorable Members of the Legislature:
The state of our nation is in distress, but the hope of our people is alive. We have all it takes to overcome the burden we have imposed on ourselves through greed and corruption. When we work together, there is nothing we cannot overcome as a people. This is why, I ask you the representatives of our people to join me to do the business of the Liberian people by not doing business as usual.
The time for a mindset shift is now. We must be selfless in our service to bring about the change the Liberian People are yearning for. Again, I challenge you to join me to Think Liberia, Love Liberia, and Build Liberia.
Thank you. May God bless the works of our hands and save our state.

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