01/26/2026
PRESS STATEMENT
Date: January 26, 2026
Independent Human Rights Advocate Response to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA)
A respectful, independent response focused on truth, accountability, and everyday reality.
As a human rights advocate, I listened to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s 2026 State of the Nation Address with one clear expectation. The words must match what people are living every day.
People are not being “negative” when they ask questions.
They want proof.
They want fairness.
They want dignity.
And I speak from what I hear in the markets, in communities, and in homes where parents are stretching one bag of rice across a whole month. These are not talking points. These are real lives.
I also believe in giving credit where it is due. When any administration takes steps that protect people, that should be recognized. At the same time, national claims must be simple for the public to confirm.
1) Prices and basic survival
Under the George Manneh Weah administration (2018 to 2023), government policy focused on keeping rice within reach. Public reporting noted efforts to hold a 25kg bag around US$13.50 to US$14.00, and to engage importers toward reductions.
Under the Joseph Nyuma Boakai administration (2024 to present), government has announced reductions as well. A 2025 Executive Mansion release stated that rice was reduced from US$16.75 per 25kg bag to US$14.00, with strict enforcement.
Price relief is welcome under any government. The real test is stability across counties. It must not be a Monrovia story only.
Human rights point: Publish a public price bulletin by county and market. Enforce it openly. Hunger does not respond to speeches.
2) Jobs and youth livelihoods
Under the Weah administration (2018 to 2023), the Pro Poor Agenda placed strong focus on roads, public works, and human capital. Those investments created work in construction and services and improved access in several corridors.
Under the Boakai administration (2024 to present), the SONA speaks about expanded skills and livelihood programs for youth and women. It references the REALISE Project, including support for income generation and training for over 15,000 young people, and more than 1,400 youth completing technical and vocational programs.
These programs matter. But the public also needs clarity on quality.
How many jobs are full time?
How many are short term?
What wages are being paid?
Human rights point: Publish a job and training registry people can check. List locations, duration, stipends or wages, and the selection process. This is how trust is built.
3) Drugs and healthcare
Under the Weah administration (2018 to 2023), a major step was taken in 2023 when President Weah signed the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act into law. That strengthened the legal framework against trafficking and abuse.
Under the Boakai administration (2024 to present), the SONA speaks about seizures by law enforcement and talks about prevention and rehabilitation for at risk youth. The public welcomes action. Still, families want to see treatment capacity that is real, affordable, and reachable outside Monrovia.
Human rights point: Fund treatment, expand prevention, and go after major traffickers. Publish quarterly updates on treatment beds, staffing, funding, and enforcement results so the public can measure progress.
4) Big claims in the SONA that must be verified publicly
The SONA lists major achievements and new plans. Here are examples that must be backed by documents the public can see:
• Ports and aviation: It states that master plans for the ports of Monrovia and Buchanan have been developed, and that upgrades will include dredging, lower costs, and 24 hour operations. It also cites major works at Roberts International Airport, including reopening Taxiway Bravo and new navigation aids, with Turkish Airlines planning an inaugural flight on May 11, 2026.
• Public transport: It states that 64 buses were procured and are now serving Liberians nationwide, and that groundwork began for a modern National Transit Authority headquarters.
• Roads and access: It states that 411 km of rural roads and 122 km of urban roads have been paved since this administration began, with a goal to pass 485 km by 2029. It also mentions the RIA road corridor adjustments and new concession road plans.
• Electricity and clinics: It states that over 63,000 new connections were established and that 17,000 households got power for the first time. It also states that solar power was used to provide electricity for 88 clinics across 14 counties, and that thousands of streetlights were installed.
• Decentralization and services: It states that county service center coordinators served over 32,000 citizens across all 15 counties, and that passport centers were opened in Grand Gedeh and B**g Counties.
• Revenue and audits: It states that the General Auditing Commission completed 94 of 105 audits, and that a domestic debt audit from 2018 to 2023 rejected over US$704 million in unsupported claims.
Human rights point: If these claims are true, publish the contracts, procurement records, unit costs, locations, and timelines. Let citizens and media verify them without begging for basics.
5) Anti corruption and accountability
Liberians are tired of anti corruption talk that does not end in consequences.
The SONA mentions indictments and convictions. The public should be able to see the case list and outcomes, not just numbers in a speech.
Human rights point: Publish audits completed, cases prosecuted, convictions secured, funds recovered, and where recovered funds were invested in schools, hospitals, water, and roads. No protected class. No selective punishment.
Conclusion
I recognize the value of policy steps taken under previous administrations, and the need for continued progress under the current administration.
But trust cannot be requested. Trust is earned.
Liberians are not asking for poetry. We are asking for proof.
If this government wants trust, it must govern with transparency and consequences that citizens can see.
Liberians deserve leadership that can be checked, not just heard.
Signed,
Prophetess Dr. Marie Scott Wilson, PhD (Amb.)
Human Rights Advocate | Social Justice Activist | The Voice for the Voiceless | Global Mentor
Media / Public Contact
🌍 The Office of Prophetess Dr. Marie Scott Wilson (Amb.) — Johnston, Iowa, USA
🌐 www.mariescottwilsonglobal.org
📩 [email protected]
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