In his first live appearance on a radio talk show since taking office nearly two years ago, President Joseph Nyuma Boaka on Friday, December 19, 2025 neither confirmed nor denied speculation that he will run for a second term in the 2029 presidential election.
Responding to a question from journalists on the Super Morning Show on state-owned radio, ELBC, President Boakai said he is not focused on 2029 but what he can achieve during the six-year tenure. “We are working towards 2029, six years we were elected for,” the Liberian leader stated.
While not prepared to directly say whether he will or will not contest in 2029, he indicated that it is too early, noting that he is focused on delivering on his promises to be fulfilled in his six-year mandate he got from Liberian voters in 2023, nearly two years ago.
President Boakai, who is in his early 80s, was asked about the secret behind his longevity and earlier doubts about his health, attributed his relatively good health and strength to the Almighty God.
He explained that he goes to bed by 1:00—2:00 a.m. daily because of his busy schedule.
On criticism that his “rescue” regime has so far failed to create jobs and put to work millions of Liberians who are unemployed, the President said job creation has been one of his rescue government’s challenges.
But he assured that serious efforts are being made to create more jobs for citizens, most of whom are young people.
A LISGIS report shows that young people comprise the bulk of Liberia’s population of 5.1 million, amounting to about 60% of the country’s population, with youth unemployment hitting the sky. LISGIS is the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services. Tens of thousands of young college graduates put out every year are languishing without jobs today.
Responding to a question on how far his UP government is with job creation, President Boakai emphasized the need to train young people and give them useful skills to become employable.
But the Liberian leader added, “We have to prepare them, for years many of them have been idle.”
He appealed to the young people to be patient, as the smaller things are being done now but the bigger ones will come, as his government is working with international partners and investors to create more jobs later.
On his mantra, “road, road, road,” President Boakai pointed out that better roads are tied to achieving all other development agenda.
President Boakai said that he has not made any nationwide tour nearly two years after coming to power because the roads are deplorable, but he plans to embark on a nationwide tour after the roads are improved and some bridges are installed around the country.
