By Gideon Nma Scott, Jr.
Even though I try to be little critical of President Boakai and his disciples, but he hit the nail on the head when he said, “If your focus is on 2029, you may respectfully resign. My priority is serving the Liberian people, right now.” This is a “clear code” like we say in Liberia, that any official who prioritizes future ambitions over his/her current responsibilities in government should honorably step down.
“Hit the nail on the head” is an English idiom that means that you have come to exactly the right conclusion, or figured out exactly the correct cause for something. If someone really said “hit the hammer on the head,” either they were mistaken, or they were trying to be clever or funny. But the actual expression is “hit the nail on the head.”
Basically, the expression “hit the nail on the head” means that the person understands the simple basics of a problem. The expression comes from the way carpenters used to drive nails before the invention of screw drivers or nail guns. A nail was driven “true” when the hammer head hit the top of it squarely and at the correct angle. If not, the hammer would glance off the top of the nail and mar the wood. Thus “hit the nail right on the head” is a good thing that strikes at the root of a problem! So, it is with President Joseph Nyuman Boakai, the chief carpenter of the Liberia who has hit the nail on the head in the just ended cabinet meeting at the Executive Mansion in Monrovia. Though it came late and as a shock to most of those in the meeting, the President was emphatic in his decision to let go any of his employees who tries to sway his focus from the pressing realities and look scrumptiously to 2029. In the Liberia lexis, we say, “Ley Papay sey dis wan wey nah wek ownpa.”
It is a glaring fact that following the setting up of his government in 2024, many political figures, including the rebirthed opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), some key cabinet members in the Boakai led Unity Party government and those from the no-position community immediately got into campaign mode and began engaging would-be voters about their political interest for 2029. Some of them have begun taken up quick impact community initiatives to soften the ground for their political bid for 2029.
On many occasions some of those in government have neglect their duties to steam up their political interest in 2029 and on a larger scale have forgotten to work for the Liberian people. As far as 2029 is, some government officials have organized sports tournaments, refurbish community roads, holding community and town hall meetings, and moreover started giving false hope and vain promises to the people, thereby neglecting their main functions and duties. This is why it was necessary that the President had to come out of his shell to hit the nail on the head.
It is bar far no joke that the government is failing on most of its key promises and leaving the voters to wonder whether they were deceived by an old man who came to power on the intonation of accountability, credibility and transparency, or were they dreaming when voting for Boakai and his team as most of the issues such as poor healthcare delivery and education systems, bad road condition in hard to reach communities, the spread of illicit drugs on the market, increase in crime including killings, ritualistic activities, police brutality and moreover a polluted city with ban water and sanitation.
While some of his folks are eating lobsters and fried plantain on FaceBook, citizens are blaming the President for not being in control of his government that is turning to become an elephant meet, whose back, even the hustler wants to survive.
Many of the things for which Liberians blamed Weah and his CDC for have resurfaced in this government. For example, rampant corruption, sexual and gender-based violence, police brutality, enforced disappearance of people from the Monrovia Central Prison, crime and drugs abuse on the increase, rape of children as early as 3 years, ritualistic killings among others.
In the Human Rights Situation Report on Liberia that was launched on December 10, 2024, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) reported that there was more secret killing in the first years of the Boakai government than in six years under George Weah. Prolong pretrial detentions have crowded the prison facilities with some of those behind bars are there on minor offenses.
All these are happening because those who were appointed by President Boakai to help him address these issues are busy setting up their political strategies for 2029. So, my friends, that you have eyes for 2029, and are now in readiness for that time, please do not waste our time. Just do what you think is best for you.
I therefore join the President to encourage you to honorably step down and give others you have the passion to succeed the opportunity to do the business of the Liberian people-especially those who have nothing to with 2029. By this, you will have all the time for ourself to adequately engage with your people and set up a better political manifesto. Who knows. You may be the next president, senator or presentative. But until then, you have a task to perform-which is doing the work of the Liberian people.
This is why I congratulate President for coming out strong on this. This government must deliver on its promises- it must take the Liberian people out of poverty- it must put drugs and trained personnel in our healthcare facilities- it must put teaching and learning materials as well as qualified teachers in our schools- I must be able to walk from Kablaken to Harper City, from Whechoken to Pleebo without the fear that someone is after my life. Yes! This government must work for us, wither position, opposition, no-position, marketers, carpenters, students, professionals and nonprofessional as well. We all must feel the presence and essence of the government one way or the other. We must fell the presence and essence of the police and the work it does- not the ones that beat and drag the people they supposed to serve and protect- we must feel and essence of the rule of law system that when people are aggrieved before the court, their issues must be address within the stipulated time- we must fell the presence of the Ministry of Public Works to address the issues of our community and major roads… But this in not happening because the Boakai have joined the opposition to focus on 2029.
Teasingly, I enjoyed how the President hit the nail on the head. If your desire is taking up elected post in 2029, I repeat, step down. This country is not brain drained to the extent that we have to wait for you to build your platform for 2029 before doing the job you accepted to do. There are more people out of government some of whom are more qualified and competent than you, who would do better if given the same opportunity. This is why the old is asking you now choose ye this day what you will do. “If your focus is on 2029, you may respectfully resign. My priority is serving the Liberian people, right now.”
The thought of the son of a professional Kru woman.