With Only Two Weeks Into Boakai Administration: Frontliners Of “Rescue Mission” Frustratingly Speak Out
Today, Monday, February 5, 2024 marks exactly two weeks since His Excellency Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai was sworn into office as the 26th President of the Republic of Liberia, promising to rescue the nation, the electorate and economy from corruption, bad governance, drugs and crime. He underscored during his inaugural address that there is no contest between so-called “Green Liberia” and “Blue Liberia”, “Southeastern Liberia” and “North Central Liberia”, noting that there is only one Liberia and the electorate share a common citizenship.
Leaders of the “Rescue Mission” harbored high expectations that they have won the political battle and it was now time to reap what they sowed, as it is said that the benefit for politics is on Earth. But as the trend of appointment to political office unfolds, several “generals” of the UP Alliance campaign are beginning to express disappointment in the manner President Boakai is carrying out his nominations. Delivering his sermon on Sunday, February 4, 2024, Nimba County Senator and Founder of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), an affiliate of the UP Alliance, Prince Y. Johnson, provided motivational words of solace to the people of Nimba County, stating that it is too early for them to be discouraged, as there is hope, and called on all of them to remain calm and trust in the Lord.
Senator Johnson’s statement is said to be stemmed from information that he received that the people of Nimba County are disappointed in the manner appointments in government are being made, allegedly without Vice President Jeremiah Koung and Senator Prince Johnson championing the cause for their appointments.
During his sermon, Senator Johnson warned President Boakai that if he dashes the hope of the people of Nimba County he will have himself to blame, emphasizing that the people of Nimba County are qualified and deserve to serve more than 3, 4 or 5 ministries.
President Boakai has so far named the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, and the Minister of Defense, Prince C. Johnson, from Nimba County. But it appears like the political godfather of the county anticipates that more of his kinsmen would be named as heads of ministries and agencies, which is not forthcoming.
According to Senator Johnson, the people of Nimba County are considered the electoral college of Liberia, referencing that Nimba is the only county that makes final decision for the presidency of Liberia in terms of voting massively for a candidate. He recounted that, during the October and November 2023 elections which brought President Joseph Nyemah Boakai to power, Nimba delivered in terms of high numbers of votes.
“When his birth place, Lofa County, could not deliver, Nimba County delivered; when Bong County could not deliver, Nimba County delivered; and when Bassa County could not deliver, Nimba County stood and delivered,” Senator Johnson asserted.
He then told his church to offer three-day fast and prayer for the nation, stating, “Strange things are happening.”
Also, the Senator of Gbarpolu County and chief statistician of the Rescue Mission’s war room, Amara Mohammed Konneh, has termed as a failed promise President Boakai’s assertion that he would appoint a cabinet minister from each of the fifteen (15) counties of Liberia.
According to Senator Konneh, President Joseph Boakai has appointed 15 ministers to head ministries, including 2 ministers of state without portfolio, and is now left with only three ministerial positions.
Senator Konneh statistically enumerated Lofa County as receiving five ministries (29.4%): ministries of Commerce and Industry, Education, Youth and Sports, and Internal Affairs and State without Portfolio; Bong, four ministries (23.5%): Public Works, Agriculture, State without Portfolio, and Gender, Children and Social Protection; Grand Bassa, two ministries (11.7%): Health and Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism; Bomi, two ministries (11.7%): Finance and Development Planning and Transport; Nimba, two ministries (11.7%): Justice and Defense; Grand Cape Mount, one ministry (5.8%): Foreign Affairs; and Sinoe, one ministry (5.8%): State for Presidential Affairs.
According to him, 15 of 18 cabinet ministers (83.3% of cabinet positions) were appointed from 7 of 15 counties (46.6% of counties). He noted that, with only three (3) cabinet ministerial appointments remaining (Mines and Energy, Labor and Post and Telecommunications), eight counties are without ministerial posts: Gbarpolu, Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Kru, Rivercess, Grand Gedeh, Maryland and River Gee. He recalled that President Boakai won Gbarpolu and Margibi in both rounds of the elections, and Montserrado in the run-off.
“The President promised a minister from each county. Clearly, this promise will not be fulfilled,” Senator Konneh pointed out in a Facebook post.
He continued that, of the 15 cabinet ministers appointed so far, there is only one Muslim, Mamaka Bility, and that the southeast, which consists of six counties (Grand Gedeh, Sinoe, Maryland, Grand Kru, River Gee and Rivercess), has received only one ministerial appointment so far.
“Five counties (Lofa, Bong, Bassa, Nimba, and Bomi) account for 88.2% of all cabinet appointments so far. Those of us who supported President Boakai must remind him of his promises quietly and publicly when it becomes necessary to help him deliver the promises he made when he campaigned for President. Change means change!” Senator Konneh stated.
Several other staunch supporters of the “Rescue Mission” have begun voicing out their disappointments, but with little or no listening ear from the President and his kitchen cabinet.
Stanton Whitherspoon, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Spoon Network, has questioned the whereabouts of several proponents of the “Rescue Mission” amidst the appointment of “strange” names in the body politics of the country.
Likewise, Martin K.N. Kollie (alias Rescue Rambo) about three days ago said, “It is a mistake to cut your generals off after the war.” He argued that some of the latest appointees are just high school graduates while top-notch professionals are being sidelined. “This is not change. Who’s advising our President? Since our calls are not being answered, I will do a letter titled, ‘Good President, Bad Advisors’,” Kollie wrote.
Kollie however pointed out that he did not help the Unity Party (UP) campaign to get a job. “I fought for our people to get a better life. I don’t need a job from anyone. I don’t feel betrayed by anyone. But other qualified/competent comrades who sacrificed deserve better than strange bedfellows,” he stated.
Eugene Fahngon, another staunch fighter of the “Rescue Mission”, is said to be frustratingly disappointed with President Boakai’s appointments but has chosen to remain silent until otherwise.
The Chairman of UP, Rev. Luther Tarpeh, was also captured on video over the weekend cautioning dissatisfied UP partisans to take up issue with the President and not the party. It is being said that Rev. Tarpeh, too, had interest in heading the National Port Authority (NPA), but President Boakai surprisingly nominated Sekou Dukuly to the position.