By Bill W. Cooper
Maryland County Senator James Biney, has ignited a national conversation about leadership and accountability in Liberia, after urging President Joseph Boakai to develop the “spine” necessary to lead the nation towards prosperity and uplift its citizens from the grips of poverty.
The senator’s remarks came during discussions surrounding the controversial reappearance of US$374,000 earmarked for the Turkish energy company Karpower in the national budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
However, the root cause of this political drama is grounded in the country’s ongoing struggle with economic challenges, including high unemployment rates, inadequate infrastructure, corruption and a lack of basic services among others.
It also followed after a heated debate during the Liberian Senate’s hearing with Finance and Development Planning Minister, Augustine K. Ngafuan on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, over the allocation of funds for Karpower, a company involved in providing floating power plants.
Members of the Senate had previously removed said amount from the 2024 budget during the recast, but it was found to have resurfaced in the 2025 budget under the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC).
The situation however raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability, especially since the government had earlier rejected the deal with Karpower, with some Senators venting their angers at the Minister for what they termed as ‘damage control’ explanation.
But Senator Biney, in his deliberation, expressed disappointment with President Boakai’s leadership, stating that the country has been far too reliant on foreign aid, which he believes is an unsustainable strategy for Liberia’s economic growth.
He said, “It is dangerous for Liberia to depend on foreign aid to generate revenue for development as such, we need innovative ways to increase our revenue, but the government must be willing to face challenges head-on.”
“However, I am yet to see the Joseph Boakai with the over 45 years of government experience I campaigned and voted for. Make no mistake, I am still optimistic and confident to see the Boakai I voted for, but honestly speaking, we need a real patriotic leader.
We need a leader who is willing to stand up for our people and country, a leader who has the spine to make tough decisions for the betterment of our nation and this is something that I am waiting to see from President Boakai,” he declared.
Biney added that Boakai must show the resolve to address Liberia’s revenue-generation challenges, citing the underperformance of the forestry sector, and revealed that international partners now control much of the revenue, coupled with the stagnation in Liberia’s energy sector, particularly the import of plywood despite the country’s vast rainforests.
He then called on the President to demonstrate a stronger will to stand up against exploitative practices and take control of the country’s sectors, particularly logging, which should be a key revenue driver.
Meanwhile, the senator’s remarks have ignited a firestorm of discussion on social media, with some Senators, citizens and civil society actors all expressing their opinions, with many criticizing Biney’s for what they described as “political and deceptive statements.”
Others have also praised the Senator for his bold stance, asserting, “Finally, someone is speaking out against the mismanagement of our resources, and we need more of these leaders who will fight for us, not for foreign companies.”
One Senator weighing on the discussion is Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who said, “As soon as we develop the SPINE at the Legislature to reduce our monthly earnings and benefits, all the other arguments may start to make sense to our people and the country.”
“We will then have the standing to demand cuts (where necessary) across other government entities. Us$5000 maximum or even below monthly for ranking public officials (elected and appointed) could be a place to start!
I have a Bill on the Floor of the Senate to this effect that we can use as a basis to do a holistic review for action and enactment. I drafted and submitted this Bill in 2020 when Mr. Weah was President. And, I resubmitted last October under this Boakai Administration for our action,” Dillon Noted.
The Senator added, “Join me let us make it happen, that’s what our people demand and our own conscience should also demand so, especially during these critical times. Until then, we will talk tiya!!; we will explain tiya!! We can make all the beautiful and intellectual speeches and or do all the critiques. Our people and the public will never take us seriously or see us as being in their interests! Never!”
Also, the Executive Director of CENTAL, Anderson Miamen wondered, “A Long-Serving Lawmaker Complaining about Bad Decision-making in Managing our Forests and Minerals? Senator Biney, as you and your Legislative colleagues are part of the Problem.”
He noted, “This Country is very interesting. As much as the President has a key role in shaping the agenda and direction of the country, the Legislature is extremely critical to the process. Here is a sitting senator, who has been in the Legislature for years, complaining that the Forestry, Mining and other sectors are underperforming, blaming it squarely on the Executive Branch of government.”
“And this is the very Legislature that has been approving all of the concession agreements and overseeing the work of these different ministries and agencies he is referencing. Senator Biney, wake up from your sleep and begin playing your required roles as the first branch of government. You are a Senator and not an ordinary person in the street.
A letter on the floor will invite the Forest and Mining actors to answer the hard questions. As much as you are making sense, your gross failure to perform your assigned responsibilities got us here. So, don’t blame the Executive alone. Call you and your colleagues out for signing bad concessions, giving tax holidays, etc. and begin doing the right things,” Miamen added.
