On the morning of December 19, 2024, Liberia awoke to what seemed to be an extraordinary announcement. Social media buzzed with celebratory posts: the government claimed to have secured a $500 million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). For a country grappling with economic challenges, this was presented as a watershed moment, a sign of Liberia’s bright future under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s leadership.
By afternoon, the jubilation turned into confusion. The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia released a statement, calmly dismantling the government’s claim. There was no grant, no $500 million, no MCC compact. What Liberia had witnessed was yet another act in the administration’s theater of deception, a desperate attempt to distract from its lackluster governance and dwindling credibility.
This was no isolated incident. Over the past year, the Boakai administration has repeatedly used misinformation as a political tool, leaving a trail of empty promises and unfulfilled dreams.
A Parade of Illusions
Back in July, Monrovia witnessed a spectacle of its own. On July 15, a convoy paraded promising 285 earth-moving machines and dump trucks rolled to be rolled in the streets, heralded as the first tangible proof of the administration’s ARREST Agenda. Crowds cheered as the sample of the 285 yellow machine paraded to a military barracks, a supposed display of progress.
But as the fanfare subsided, the truth emerged. There was no signed contract, no formal agreement, and no financial commitment. When pressed, the President offered only a vague explanation, attributing the initiative to a casual conversation with an unnamed “friend.” The parade, much like the MCC claim, was a mirage, a spectacle designed to mislead.
The Mirage of the HPX Deal
Earlier in the year, on February 20, the government announced an ambitious partnership with HPX and Guma Africa Group, promising an investment of $3 billion to $5 billion to develop the Liberty Corridor. It sounded like a transformative moment for Liberia’s economy until the details surfaced.
The deal’s credibility quickly unraveled. Guma Africa’s founder, Gumede, was under investigation for inflating PPE prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, charging 370 percent above market rates. This was the administration’s chosen partner for a multibillion-dollar initiative, a glaring failure in vetting and due diligence.
The China Charade
September brought another round of grand proclamations. Upon returning from the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Boakai announced a $3 billion memorandum for an oil refinery in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, and over $200 million in grants and debt waivers.
Once again, the truth fell far short of the rhetoric. The grants, valued at 200 million RMB, were roughly $28 million in U.S. dollars. The debt waiver was a mere $900,000, and even the food assistance package, initially celebrated as $30 million, was less than $5 million. Instead of celebrating modest gains, the administration inflated figures to craft a narrative of triumph.
Another Hollow Promise: The Great Bus Deception
On June 24, 2024, the Boakai administration put on yet another show, claiming to have found the solution to Liberia’s transportation crisis. They proudly paraded two buses, billed as samples from the Brazilian manufacturer “Marcopolo,” with promises that 300 more would follow in just 40 days. The ceremony, attended by President Boakai’s Political Advisor Madam McDella Cooper, Senior Advisor Dr. Augustine Konneh, and Minister Sylvester Grigsby, was a perfectly staged spectacle of empty grandeur.
And yet, as with so many of their claims, the truth was something else entirely. The so-called solution? Old, used buses discarded by the Ghana Transport Authority, quietly sent with no fanfare or public transparency. Forty days came and went, and the promised fleet never materialized. Instead of accountability, the government left Liberians with the bitter taste of yet another hollow promise. It was all just another spin on the Boakai administration’s favorite wheel, deception dressed up as delivery.
The 2024 Fiscal Transparency Report
Adding to the litany of concerns was the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Fiscal Transparency Report, which painted a grim picture of Liberia’s governance. The report highlighted significant lapses:
- The government failed to disclose earnings from state-owned enterprises.
- Enacted budgets were not made publicly available in a timely manner.
- Information on national debt remained inaccessible, hindering public oversight.
The report also criticized inconsistent regulation, corruption in awarding natural resource contracts, and the lack of independence in Liberia’s General Auditing Commission, which further undermined public accountability. These findings reveal a government unwilling or unable to meet even basic standards of transparency.
What makes this all the more infuriating is the government’s brazen hypocrisy. Any call for transparency is now framed as unpatriotic, an attack on the nation rather than a plea for accountability. This comes from an administration that campaigned on championing civil servant salaries and fairness. Today, while most civil servants scrape by on $150 a month, commissioners enjoy a monthly generator gasoline provision of $3,622.
Take the case of the National Port Authority (NPA). On December 13, NPA Managing Director Sekou Dukuly acknowledged that the port is grossly overstaffed, with over 1,900 employees on its payroll. The NPA spends a staggering $1.4 million monthly on salaries, yet Dukuly unilaterally declared that the agency would no longer remit allocations to the 2025 national budget, citing outstanding projects.
Meanwhile, Dukuly himself receives $21,600 annually for attending board meetings and $2,500 monthly for living in his own house on top of his salary. This is a stark contrast to the financial struggles of ordinary Liberians. A once-promising government has become an embodiment of the very inequities it pledged to address. These are the morality-laden campaigners of yesterday, now the architects of today’s embarrassing governance failures.
The Dangers of Misinformation
Misinformation is not harmless. It corrodes public trust, undermines governance, and distracts from real progress. The Boakai administration’s pattern of deception poses significant dangers:
- Eroding Public Trust: When citizens can’t rely on their government for honesty, democratic participation weakens.
- Damaging Credibility: False claims, like those surrounding the MCC and China deals, jeopardize international partnerships.
- Widening Inequality: Policies favoring the elite deepen social and economic disparities.
Governance is not about grand announcements or carefully staged parades; it is about delivering real results for the people. The Boakai administration must abandon theatrics and embrace accountability. Truth is not just a virtue; it is the foundation of democracy.
For Liberia to move forward, its leaders must recognize the urgent need for transparency. The people deserve a government that works for them, not one that hides behind parades and propaganda. The question remains: will this administration rise to the occasion, or will it continue down the path of deception?
The only thing this government seems to have perfected is the art of pictorial diplomacy, a masterclass in deception, and a relentless focus on public relations at the expense of a society too often taken in by their illusions. Their frustration lies not in our criticism but in our commitment to arming Liberians with the most potent weapon: truth. Through honesty, transparency, and access to information, we are empowering our fellow citizens to see through the smoke and mirrors. Democracy and governance must never be built on the shaky foundation of lies. Rest assured, we will wield every tool at our disposal to peel back the layers of deception and shine a light on their falsehoods.
