Fellow Liberians, mothers in the markets, students in the back rows, farmers in the rice swamps, teachers in overcrowded classrooms, nurses in understaffed clinics, and workers across our 15 counties:
Our nation stands at a decisive crossroads. Twenty years after the end of our civil wars, and two years into this administration, we are being told a story of “recovery.” Pres. Boakai assures the nation that “our country is in a better state than it was a year ago.”
I respect the President; he is my friend, and I know he loves Liberia. But as a Liberian who listens to the everyday cries of our people and walks our communities, I must ask the question that every struggling family is asking: Recovery for whom? Progress for who? Results where?
Today, I will not only critique the government, but will offer a People Focused and People Centered set of Alternatives to the challenges facing Liberia.
The President yesterday (Monday, January 26) quoted economic growth and lower inflation. But let’s be clear: macroeconomic stability is not the same as microeconomic survival. The Global Hunger Index places Liberia near the bottom of the world—112th out of 123 countries. This is not just a statistic; it means two in every five Liberians do not eat sufficiently. It means our children’s futures are being cut short by stunted growth.
As the people say in the streets: “Da roads we will eat?” You cannot cook coal tar. You cannot feed a child a blueprint. The state of the nation must be measured by the fullness of the stomach, the safety of the community, and the dignity of work.
- A Budget for the Elite or a Budget for the People?
The President proudly announced a US$1.2 billion budget, the highest in our history. But a budget is not only a planning document, it is more important, it is a moral document; it tells us who and what truly matters to the government.
While the government celebrates these numbers, Liberia remains the 9th poorest nation on earth. Over 2.5 million of our brothers and sisters cannot meet basic needs, and in rural areas, the poverty rate is a staggering 80 percent.
Where is the proof that this record budget is improving lives? While public hospitals lack gloves and schools lack chalk, the Legislature’s budget has increased to over US$51 million, and the National Security Agency’s budget has ballooned by 50 percent to US$22 million. We are supposed to receive windfalls, including the US$200 million ArcelorMittal signature bonus, yet these resources are being absorbed into a bloated budget to fund the luxury lifestyles of the political class.
The People’s Alternative on the Budget:
*Cap Wasteful Spending: We must cap the budgets of the Legislature and the Executive, ending the era of “big, big cars” and extravagant travel.
*Fund the Frontline: Shift resources to health, education, and the security personnel—the police and military—who actually keep us safe.
*Transparency: We need county-level reporting. If a budget cannot be explained to a market woman, it was not written for her.
III. Farmers First: Agriculture as the Engine
The President calls agriculture the heart of the “ARREST” agenda. But you cannot claim agriculture is the heart while you slash its funding.
The People’s Alternative for our Farmers:
*The 10 percent Benchmark: We must meet the international commitment to allocate 10 percent of our national budget to agriculture.
*Processing, Not Just Planting: We must use windfalls to build processing plants—rice milling, cassava processing, and fisheries cold storage—so farmers move from “hand-to-mouth” to “business-for-profit.”
*Feeder Roads: These are the economic lifelines that connect farms to markets. Without them, harvests simply rot in the fields.
- Business and Women First: Dignity and Protection
Our Liberian women own 55 percent of small businesses, yet they are shut out of the banks and ignored by the system. But their struggle is not just economic; it is a struggle for safety and dignity.
The People’s Alternative for Women:
*National Micro-Loan Scheme: We propose a dedicated credit and guarantee scheme specifically for market women and small Liberian businesses.
*Justice for Women and Girls: We cannot talk about “Women First” while the scourge of rape and sexual abuse haunts our communities. We must strengthen the judiciary to ensure that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases are prosecuted with urgency. A nation that cannot protect its daughters cannot claim to be “recovering.”
When our women are safe and prosperous, Liberia grows from the bottom up.
- Youth First: From “Hustle” to Careers
A temporary job is not a future. Our youth are not lazy; they are blocked by a lack of opportunity.
The People’s Alternative for our Youth:
*National Youth Service Program: Engage graduates as assistant teachers and health workers, among others, providing them with a salary, training, and a sense of purpose.
*A Skills Revolution: Expand TVET and apprenticeships county-by-county so our young people have the technical skills to build our infrastructure.
- Decentralization: Bringing Government to the People
I strongly support decentralization, but passing a law is not enough. Real decentralization means counties can plan and develop without begging Monrovia for every cent.
The People’s Alternative on Decentralization:
* Devolve Money, Not Just Titles: Counties must have predictable, audited development financing.
*Strengthen County Service Centers: Basic services—permits, documents, and licenses—must be available in every county hub so citizens don’t have to spend their last savings traveling to the capital.
*Local Governance: We must empower local leaders to prioritize their own feeder roads and clinics, ensuring that the “Government” is felt in the village, not just on Capitol Hill.
VII. Energy and Infrastructure: Powering Production.
A nation cannot develop in darkness. Most Liberians still live without reliable electricity, and rural Liberia remains largely in the dark.
The People’s Alternative on Energy:
*Mini-Grids and Solar Now: We cannot wait for the central grid. We must deploy community solar and off-grid solutions for clinics and schools immediately.
*Power for Production: Energy must be prioritized for agro-processing and small manufacturing to create jobs, not just to light up homes.
VIII. Corruption: Beyond Indictments to Justice
The President cited “11 indictments,” but two convictions in two years is not the anti-corruption revolution Liberia needs. Corruption is the reason there is no medicine in the clinics, supplies in schools, among others.
The People’s Alternative on Accountability:
*Special Anti-Corruption Courts: We need specialized courts to end the “delay tactics” that allow impunity to survive.
*Asset Recovery: Stolen public money must be recovered and reinvested into water systems, schools and roads, etc.
*No Protected Species: Integrity institutions must be fully autonomous, ensuring no one is protected by friendship or party affiliation.
- Conclusion: The Time for Action is Now
Fellow Liberians, the President ended his address by saying leadership is service. I agree. But leadership is also delivery.
If the economy is growing, the people should feel it. If the government is working, hunger should be falling. Liberia has the land, the resources, and the talent. What we have lacked is disciplined, competent, people-centered and empathetic leadership that produces measurable results.
I see the resilience in the market woman who wakes up at 4: a.m. I see the brilliance in the student studying by a candle. I see the farmer walking miles to a market road. You are Liberia’s strength.
The People’s Alternative is not just a critique; it is a promise of integrity, competence, and a government that loves its people more than it loves itself.
The time for empty rhetoric is over.
The time for action is now.
The time for Liberia to rise is now!