By Danlette Grace Washington (Photos Credit: Executive Mansion of Liberia and Vision TV Liberia)

In a peaceful transition of power, Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai was inaugurated as the 26th President of Liberia on January 22, 2024, after defeating incumbent president George M. Weah in the 2023 General Elections.

Boakai, a former Vice President who served for 12 years under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, expressed gratitude for the people’s vote, declaring his commitment to serving all Liberians, both within the country and in the diaspora.

In his inaugural address, President Boakai emphasized the importance of democracy, highlighting the mandate to serve all Liberians. He called for unity, urging a shift from partisanship to nationalism and inclusive governance.

Reflecting on Liberia’s founding principles of liberty and democratic ideals, President Boakai spoke of the country’s evolution into a democratic dispensation.

He acknowledged the contributions of ordinary Liberians to the nation’s democratic progress, emphasizing the need for inclusive governance as an irreversible path to Liberia’s destiny.

Addressing the challenges revealed during the political campaign, President Boakai acknowledged the issues of dysfunction, corruption, and a culture of impunity.

“We see hard times, we see dysfunction, we see culture of impunity, we see corruption in high and low places. It is these and similar conditions that we have come to RESCUE. But we come with false assurance to no one. Our plan to fix the ills we are inheriting must go together with realistic expectations. We will act in the first hundred days of our Administration, and then diligently pursue our rescue mission,” said President Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

He pledged to act in the first hundred days of his administration, outlining a realistic plan to address the inherited ills and pursue a rescue mission for Liberia.

“It will ensure we rebuild the broken infrastructure and improve the delivery of health and social services such as combating the drug epidemic ravaging our youth and eating away the future of this country. It will address crimes and security, and the empowerment of the people in the decision-making process affecting their welfare.”

Moreover, the president expressed his concern about accentuating the negatives and creating divisions among Liberians.

He vowed to rekindle hope, unite the people, and guide the nation towards a positive trajectory.

President Boakai also emphasized the importance of citizenship in building a united nation and outlined his vision for the next six years, focusing on national healing, reconciliation, and restoring dignity to public service.

In conclusion, President Joseph Nyumah Boakai called for a recalibration of political energies, encouraging a national conversation to collectively address the challenges and opportunities facing Liberia, while emphasizing the need to restore inclusivity, transparency, and accountability at all levels of society, strengthening a culture of hope, dignity, and respect for the rule of law.

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