President Joseph Nyuma Boakai popular Inaugural Quote” No Business As Usual”, appears to come under serious criticism from the public.
Citing several instances and situations, many critics say that the statement is now becoming a cliche and basically a theory and not practical.
Explaining further about their criticisms, members of the opposition reference latest social media photos of two government officials of the Boakai’s administration namely Envoy on Investment Mohammed Maladho Bah and Ambassador at Large on Tourism Christopher Haynes Onanuga on first class flight with diplomatic Liberian passports respectively.
They argued that such extravagance previously criticized by the past government has resurfaced in a government that brags of not doing Busines As Usual”, this is sad, they re-emphasized.
They indicated that such alleged wasteful spending could even be worse in the Boakai’s administration with under six months of such from officials of the new administration.
The latest criticism also comes following a post from controversial activist Martin Kollie’s social media page.
In his post, he disclosed Liberia’s status as the world’s eighth poorest country in 2024, according to Global Finance.
Kollie pointed out that whether or not these luxury trips are funded by the government, they project an image of insensitivity amidst widespread suffering in Liberia, he added.
President Boakai he stressed promise a government of transparency and accountability and vowed not to do business as usual but his officials are now involved in doing the opposite.
“We criticized this under the CDC-led government, We are also criticizing it now. If it was wrong yesterday, it is also wrong today. This was never what we promised our people. We never promised OPULENCE, We promised economic freedom for ALL Liberians, Kollie added.
Raising issues of integrity and corruption, Kollie in his post stated that the two officials to include Bah was found guilty of Theft before by Stipendiary Magistrate Jomah Jallah while Onanuga was indicted by Global Witness over the Sable Mining Scandal in Liberia respectively.
However, he wondered and questioned as to whether such is not business as usual.
” Is The Economy Still In The Toilet Or It Has Left From There? I Think It Is Now In The Septic Tank”, Activist, Kollie blasted.
In the wake of the No Business As Usual statement by President Boakai, critics have also frowned on the recycled of past officials in his government especially those from the Executive and Judiciary branches of government something they noted also speaks to the fact of doing business as usual contrary to No Business as usual.
“They are the same oil wine in New bottles”, they noted.
Amidst heavy criticism, the Liberian leader has reasurred the American people during a dinner ceremony at the heels of America’s 248th Independence Anniversary Celebration that his government has forcefully sounded its determination to ensure that it will not indulge into business as usual .
“We pledged to lead by example and to ensure that the use of the products of our partnership bring relief and satisfaction to all who have invested in it”, he recommitted.
Despite the statement and commitment by the Liberian leader, the picture on the ground is practically far from reality.
