Vows Accountability, Greater Benefits For Liberians
Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph N. Boakai has given a strong warning about the management of Liberia’s natural resources, stressing that his administration will no longer tolerate opaque methods and loose control in the sector as he strives for accountability and tangible benefits for common inhabitants.
During his third Cabinet meeting at the Executive Mansion Tea House on Thursday, March 26, 2026, the President suddenly focused on Liberia’s rich mineral riches. He underlined that the country must begin to realise the rewards of decades of extraction and concessions.
“We have a responsibility to protect what is here now. Liberia’s natural resources must directly improve the lives of its people. We have to make sure that the benefit from that will trickle down to our people, because when they are all depleted, there is nothing else to show,” he added.
The President stressed that current leaders must guarantee greater results even if he acknowledged that many of the nation’s mining deals predate his term. Additionally, he raised concerns about monitoring and transparency by cautioning against a system in which the state is not fully aware of what is being retrieved.
“It is very difficult to keep up with investors who come through mining. You don’t even know what they are mining… when they go down there, you’re not there,” Boakai stated.
The Liberian leader also emphasised the critical need to teach more Liberians in technical mineral-related disciplines, contending that local knowledge is essential for effective supervision and the good of the country. He brought attention to the pervasive problem of illicit and unofficial mining during the event, especially in rural areas where uncontrolled operations continue to cost the nation money.
Boakai, “You go into our bushes; there are a lot of people taking out our gold. All of that put together, what do we get out of it?”
The President also mentioned persistent structural issues, such as inadequate infrastructure pledges in concession contracts and lax local enforcement. Additionally, he warned that certain officials are involved in illicit mining operations and urged local authorities to assume more responsibility.
At the policy level, Boakai asked Cabinet ministers to promptly reach agreements that may boost economic growth and create jobs, as well as to embrace international best practices in resource management. “In the third year we are in, we should create some jobs; growing frustration among young people awaiting employment opportunities,” the President narrated.
Additionally, President Boakai connected efficient mineral governance to more general national development objectives, like as public services, infrastructure, education, and income creation. As part of a larger effort to bolster domestic resource mobilization, he advocated for enhanced budgetary discipline throughout government agencies, particularly electricity bill payment.
Boakai reiterated the commitment of his administration, saying that Liberia needs to break from previous trends and make sure that its mineral riches is a basis for sustained development rather than a lost opportunity. “The policies we frame and put together will have to make this country move,” he said.
It is anticipated that the Cabinet meeting, which has as its theme “Positioning Liberia for Mineral-Led Development and National Prosperity,” would develop new plans for overhauling the nation’s mineral industry and optimising its contribution to national development.
