-A Call to President Boakai
Monrovia-Former Ambassador in the Unity Party-led Government, Sheikh Al-Moustapha Kouyateh, has shared a thought-provoking reflection on Liberia’s political leadership, expressing disappointment in former President George Manneh Weah while urging President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. to fulfill the promises of his administration.
According to Kouyateh, he once admired former President George Weah more than any other Liberian leader because Weah inspired hope among ordinary citizens. However, he believes that the former president failed to translate those promises into meaningful improvements in the lives of Liberians.
Kouyateh argued that hope without tangible results is like “putting water in a fishing net”-an effort that ultimately yields nothing.
Turning his attention to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., Kouyateh said his support is rooted not in emotion but in trust. He recalled that while serving as Vice President under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Boakai openly acknowledged the shortcomings of that administration by stating, “We had many opportunities, but we squandered them.”
Kouyateh said Boakai’s willingness to admit past failures convinced him that the President possessed the honesty and integrity needed for national leadership.
Despite that trust, Kouyateh emphasized that he refuses to remain silent when he sees shortcomings in the current administration. He warned that the government should not rely on the failures of previous administrations as justification for its own slow pace or inability to deliver on promises.
Addressing President Boakai directly, Kouyateh reminded him that he now bears the constitutional responsibility to lead Liberia effectively. He stressed that the time to act is now and not in 2029 or at the next election cycle.
Kouyateh referencing former Presidents Charles G. Taylor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and George Manneh Weah said they have all completed their tenures indicating that during their administrations, they exercised executive authority, appointed officials, managed the nation’s resources, and enjoyed the privileges of leadership.
Today, Kouyateh said, those same responsibilities and privileges belong to President Boakai, appealing to the President to use the opportunity entrusted to him to improve the lives of Liberians and govern in the best interest of the people.
