PRESIDENT BOAKAI CAUTIONS OFFICIALS AGAINST UNDERPERFORMANCE, SAYS GOVERNMENT IS “NOT A FRIENDSHIP CLUB.”
The President renewed this caveat at the opening session of his Administration’s twenty-fifth Cabinet Meeting, held under the theme "Performance and Delivery.”
The meeting focused on strengthening government performance monitoring and establishing a citizens’ feedback mechanism to assess progress and identify gaps in service delivery. The agenda included accelerating government delivery and increasing efficiency in the implementation of Cabinet decisions.
Attention was also given to tracking legislation and establishing Cabinet standing committees to improve coordination, and the execution of government priorities.
Other focus areas included the formulation of an interim jobs strategy, which will be the foundation for a comprehensive five-year national jobs strategy.
In his opening remarks, President Boakai frowned on the negative tendency toward complacency among government appointees and support staff working in the various ministries and agencies. He warned that public offices must not become comfortable positions for individuals who fall short in making their required contributions to national development.
The President reminded government employees that this is neither a friendship club nor a family club. “Make people work, and if they don't work, replace them,” the President charged.
The Liberian Chief Executive and Chairperson of the Cabinet asserted that as his Administration enters the final three years of its six-year term, officials must prioritize the achievement of measurable results, lending primacy to quality public projects and effective service delivery.
He cautioned ministers against allowing deputies, assistants, and other appointed officials to remain in office without fulfilling their responsibilities, insisting that public service demands discipline, accountability, and a genuine commitment to the country's development.
“This is a country where I know some people even pray that you don't call them, that you don't remember them. They just want to be there. But that's not work,” he pointed out.
The President further stressed that officials must prioritize regular reporting to assess government performance and track progress in implementing the Administration’s development agenda. “We have to take account of what we do, how fast we do it, and how well we do it. Because if we don't know what you're doing, we don't know how to grade you,” he noted.
The President said the remaining three years of his Administration would emphasize performance, quality, and delivery to the Liberian people. He urged officials responsible for awarding and supervising government contracts to ensure that contractors deliver quality work within agreed timelines.
“The Liberian people deserve the best and should not be made to compromise on quality,” he said, citing the ongoing renovation work at the University of Liberia as an example of going for higher standards in public projects.
Today’s meeting saw the endorsement of a series of measures by the Cabinet to strengthen government functioning and productivity. These measures include:
1. Strengthening government accountability and performance, improving revenue generation, and improving public service delivery.
2. A proposal presented by the President’s Delivery Unit and the Cabinet Office to accelerate government performance and service delivery as the Administration enters its midterm.
3. The creation of standing Cabinet committees for different sectors to thoroughly review technical policy proposals before presenting their recommendations to the full Cabinet for endorsement.
4. An interim strategy aimed at creating more than 1,000 jobs across various sectors, including agriculture and public works, within 15 months.
5. A proposal from the Liberia Revenue Authority to strengthen revenue generation by improving the registration and tracking of cell phones entering the country through the use of technology.
