University of Liberia’s campus-based Student Unification Party (SUP) has categorically condemned the manner in which the Boakai administration is treating the students and young people of the country by ignoring their basic needs.
SUP noted that the deliberate attempt by the Boakai administration to hastily propose US$1.8 million as an initial amount for the renovation of the House of Legislature at Capitol Hill does not only demonstrate pure atrociousness and barbarity, but a complete disregard for the interest of young people who constitute a majority of the population of the nation.
“This outrageous display of greed and thoughtfulness also justifies the unwillingness of the Boakai-Koung regime to address issues destructive to the education sector of this country as well as the future of this nation. For the past months, we’ve been calling for massive renovation at the state-run university but ignored the simple fact that education is of no essence to the ‘42 years experienced old man’. The massive significance being placed on the restructuring of the Legislature while ignoring the University of Liberia that’s breeding students to contribute to the future of Liberia is an affront to the students and young people of Liberia,” SUP said in a press release.
SUP then called on the government to immediately prioritize uplifting the University of Liberia now as was decisively done for those “self-seeking” politicians at the Capitol Building. SUP maintained that only the accessibility of these facilities will constitute genuine change at the university.
SUP also condemned what it termed the proscribed opinion of President Joseph Boakai rendering the incident at the Capitol Building as “hooliganism and gangsterism”. According to the student group, such a statement is divisive and anti-democratic, and could be interpreted as Boakai already knowing what caused the fire at the Capitol without an investigative report.
“It’s not a surprise to witness the most contradicting and hypocritical statement of Mr. Boakai denouncing gangsterism, thereby talking about the rule of law when he has embraced gangsterism at the House of Legislature and complete disregard for the rule of law of this country. After 11 months in office, all we see are extreme division, poverty, corruption, lawlessness, etc. Boakai cannot be the one discussing the essence of democracy.
“So long as SUP believes the legislative impasse at the House of Representatives is characterized by self-interest and not the interest of the people, Mr. Boakai must demonstrate leadership and divert from divisive rhetorics,” the SUP release observed.