Liberian News: Boakai Betrays Promise

Monrovia-President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is facing intensely harsh criticisms for putting luxury and opulence over the welfare and wellbeing of the Liberian people he promised good living standards if elected president – who are swimming in freezing economic hardship and abject poverty.

The purchase of a costly Lexus luxury SUV amid harsh existing economic realities is equated to the betrayal of promises President made to the Liberian people, including the promise of riding a ‘wheelbarrow’ to go work.

The criticisms coming from all walks of life, including some of the president’s Rescue Generals, surround the purchase of a modern expensive Lexus, a groundbreaking vehicle that costs thousands of United States Dollars.

In addition to fleet of brand new vehicles he took over from the previous administration including two bullet-proof Toyota Tacundas, President Boakai recently secured a very luxuriousLexus which he used last week during the launch of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) new digital financial payment system at the Monrovia City Hall.

The purchase of Lexus by the Liberian leader, in a biting economy, is said to have contradicted every ounce of promise and commitment he made to the Liberian people that he would endeavor to put the country on a transformative trajectory, and not do business as usual.

As opposition leader, he was reportedly instrumental in belittling and criticizing past leaders for indulging into wastefulness and extravagance amid unprecedented levels of poverty spurred by what he then called “lack of leadership, lack of job opportunities, corruption and opulence.”

Now, the President is accused of displaying ‘business as usual’ at the highest level.

As he was unveiling his luxurious Lexus, which sheds light on his apparent lavish lifestyle, thousands of students from government-run institutions protesting for lack of teachers in the classrooms were facing the bedlam and brutality – teargas and unsparing flagellation- of officers of the Liberian National Police, wounding a good number.

Some of those criticizing the President believe he has put a lavish life-style, securing his environment, ahead of the current harsh economic conditions Liberians are experiencing.

They wondered why makes it so necessary at this juncture for the head of state to focus on beefing up his security and protection, which acquiring a new bullet-proof Lexus portends.

Recall that Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Ngarfuan recently expressed trepidations over the outlook of the Liberian economy which is facing more stress in light of the Trump administration’s freezing of foreign aid including grounding the operations of USAID.

Minister Ngarfuan advised Liberians to brace for tough times ahead considering the current economic and financial outlooks that are largely impeding government’s efforts to address key priorities, let alone paying civil servants in time.

There are reports that civil servants’ salaries are delayed for about three months due to financial constraints and other factors facing the government.

Apart from civil servants, it is reported also that newly hired employees under contractual arrangements are yet to get their first pay since they were processed at various ministries.

Liberians said it is condescending that these issues failed to claim President Boakai’s attention and immediate action compared to his desire to put huge sum of money behind purchasing a single vehicle with money that could be channeled to other programs and projects.

Adding his voice to the volleys of criticisms of President Boakaiover the purchase of Lexus, Anderson Miamen, head of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) said there was no need for such wasteful venture once the president believes he is performing.

In a rather theoretical post social media post, he said “As a leader, when you provide decent jobs, safe drinking water, electricity, quality education, better healthcare, housing, etc. for your people, you don’t need a Lexus for your security.”

Miamen added that the people themselves become your security, foaming that the president is riding Lexus when there are no public boxes.

He said a leader should aim for his/her security to come from the people and not the number of expensive and highly-protected cars purchased or the number of assigned security details.

Miamen added “If people wastefully spent on expensive vehicles yesterday, it does not justify similar action (s) today. We need to have a cutoff point for all these decisions that only benefit the few people at the top.”

Also, President Boakai’s use of Lexus did not escape anger and frustration of activist Martin Kollie, who in a statement expressed disdain and condemned him the display of ultra opulence while millions of Liberians are jobless, and tens of thousands of civil servants remain underpaid and working poor.

He accused President Boakai of flaunting Luxury while tens of thousands of public school teachers, health workers, security personnel, and civil servants in general remain largely underpaid and unpaid.

“Our investigation has confirmed that Pres. Boakai, who promised to run a modest government in 2023, now rides in a 2025 Lexus LX 700HR Super Ultra Luxury SUV valued between US$115,000 and US$150, 000,” Kollie who is unearthing litany of malfeasance in government said.

According to him, it is outrageous that amid increasing public discontent and student protests, the President seems to ignore the harsh conditions he once criticized under ex-president Weah.

“When ex-president Weah flaunted his luxurious vehicles, including a Polaris Slingshot, President Boakai criticized him,” Martin recalled.

He expressed disapproval with Pres. Boakai’s use of a Lexus Super Ultra SUV amid extreme hardship across Liberia.

He stressed “This is opulence, too, and we condemn it. This is not modesty. This is a public waste. While criticizing his predecessors for riding luxurious cars in 2024, Pres. Boakaieven alluded and echoed so loud that he can ride a wheelbarrow.”

“Is this the wheelbarrow that he was talking about?” Kolliewondered.

According to him, if it was wrong yesterday in the world’s eighth poorest country with an unemployment rate of over 90 percent, it is also wrong today.

Kollie recalled how a whopping US$1.1 million was spent off-budget only to buy cars for Pres. Boakai and VP Koung’sconvoys in the 2024 fiscal year.

He disclosed that he and others will evoke the 2010 Freedom of Information (FOI) Law, compelling EPS Director Sam Gaye to make public the financial report of the purchases for the US$1.1 million cars.

“We call on Pres. Boakai to readjust and take a moment to reflect on what he promised our people in 2023. This was never the promise made in 2023 to flaunt with Lexus Super Ultra Luxury SUV while our people suffer and struggle every day to eke out a living,” he said.

“This is not “Rescue”. No president rescues a poor and aid-dependent country with such extravagance,” he added.

He reminded the president that hospitals and schools are deplorable due to financial constraints, Monrovia and almost everywhere in Liberia are dark and lacking safe drinking water, quality education, advanced medical care, improved housing, social security and welfare.

Amid these conditions, Kollie said it is inconceivable that the president is riding Lexus Super Ultra Luxury SUV.

“This is a promise betrayed. While such an opulence is on display, there are thousands of volunteer teachers and health workers, including doctors, who are still not on payroll,” Kolliestressed.