Liberia: SUP Frowns on “Early Flaws” in Boakai-Koung Gov’t

The University of Liberia's Vanguard Students Unification Party (SUP) has expressed concern over what it perceives as contradictions in the early days of the Boakai-Koung's administration, specifically regarding President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's failure to declare his assets before assuming office.

SUP Chairman Hagginson W. Kwein raised the issue during a press conference at the University of Liberia main campus on Monday, February 19, citing Part 10.1 of Liberia's National Code of Conduct, which mandates public officials to disclose their assets and liabilities prior to taking office.

Part 10.1 of the code of conduct states, “All public officials and employees of the Government are mandated to declare their assets and liabilities before taking office and after that.”

Kwein criticized President Boakai and his Vice President, Jeremiah Kpan Koung, for not meeting this requirement, labeling their alleged lack of transparency as a test of their integrity, which he believes they have failed.

However, Kwein noted that Mr. Boakai and his Vice President have “miserably failed” to pass such a simple test of integrity when they have threaded on integrity throughout their campaign era.

SUP views President Boakai's delayed asset declaration as a continuation of business as usual and has threatened unspecified actions if the assets are not made public, including a proposed public test at the University of Liberia Campus.

Additionally, the SUP described Boakai's asset declaration without publication as a publicity stunt aimed at maintaining the status quo, raising questions about his sudden transformation from a self-proclaimed poor man to a philanthropist and millionaire.

“We at the level of the Students Unification Party see the asset declaration by Boakai, nearly 17 days after his inauguration without publishing it as nothing, but the same business as usual which Boakai has since promised not to be,” Kwein said.

“Fellow compatriots, Mr. Boakai is noted for crowning himself as a very poor man who lives on loan and could not even afford his medical bill to the extent that a gofundme was organized to pay his bill and provide food for him,” Kwein stressed. 

The SUP Chairman further termed as alarming, that the same Boakai who could not “afford a simple meal a day and with little medical bill a few months back, has turned into a philanthropist and millionaire just weeks after he was elected president.”

“This self-proclaimed poor man in Mr. Boakai donated 10 million without disclosing the source of the funds,” Kwein asserted. “Similarly, the Unity Party could not afford to pay the rent of its headquarters, dished out nearly half of a million to its district leadership for uncontrollable amusement when the state-run University of Liberia is struggling to pay.”

SUP noted that Boakai's posture is clear evidence of early contradictions of his administration, specifically his deliberate refusal to declare his assets before taking office in line with the code of conduct.

He vowed to ensure that SUP takes unspecified actions if President Boakai refuses to take public his assets, including compelling him to take a public test at the University of Liberia Campus on asset declaration. 

The students-based political party reiterated its commitment to advancing the interests of the Liberian people and promoting positive change in society through the principles of Scientific Marxism, African socialism, and Massescracy. Chairman Kwein called on President Boakai and his government to address these concerns and advocated for the reopening of the University of Liberia with a focus on maintaining tuition-free education for students.

He said SUP remains steadfast in advocating for pluralistic democracy, good governance, and political accountability.

The Vanguard Student Unification Party said that just as it unanimously engineered the election of President Boakai, it remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing the interests of the Liberian people and fostering positive change within our society. 

The Chairman said the party has also reawakened and assured Liberians that it remains committed and unbending in defending the inalienable rights of Liberians in demand for improvement in their social welfare, and to continue abiding by the principles of Scientific Marxism, African socialism, and Massescracy. 

In a similar development, the SUP Chairman has called for the immediate reopening of the University of Liberia with a mandate of maintaining a tuition-free education, being enjoyed by the student populace.

Chairman Kwein maintained that the party is waiting to hear President Boakai endorsing the tuition-free policy and at the same time wants him to legitimize said policy at the National Legislature.

SUP, through its Chairman, has reaffirmed its commitment to the unassailable values of uncompromising advocacy to promote pluralistic democracy, good governance, and political accountability.