Two prominent political figures who were associated with the political coalition that propelled former President George Weah to power in 2017 have delivered contrasting but revealing assessments of the country’s current and previous administrations, with former government official Moses Y. Kollie describing President Nyuma Boakai’s leadership as a period of “real governance” while National Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman Atty. George Mulbah pointed to continuing weaknesses in the current administration.
Kollie and Mulbah, two former officials in the Weah administration and a member of the Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP), are both political actors whose parties were part of the broader coalition that constituted the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) during Weah’s presidency.
Their comments, made during a discussion on OK FM Wednesday, provide an unusual perspective because both men have first-hand experience with the political structure that governed Liberia between 2018 and 2024.
Kollie based his assessment of the Boakai administration on what he described as decades of experience in public service. He said his career has taken him through the civil service, Legislature and Executive, giving him the opportunity to observe governance from different institutional levels.
According to Kollie, he spent 11 years as a civil servant, 12 years in the Legislature and six years in the Executive. He said those experiences have given him a basis for comparing how different administrations operate and how political leaders interact with their senior officials.
Kollie said one of the clearest differences he sees under President Boakai is the level of access senior government officials have to the President. He argued that ministers, deputy ministers, assistant directors and other officials are able to present their plans, programs and reports to the President, allowing him to remain informed about developments across government.
He said such an arrangement enables the President to understand what is happening within the various sectors of government and consequently speak more authoritatively about national issues.
His words: “Now, with the very coalition that we have, he supported the administration. However, we went to the elections and the Unity Party won, and Ambassador Joseph Boakai became president. So, when you ask about governance, I see real governance. I see proper governance because I have had the opportunity to serve in both the Legislature and the Executive.”
Kollie’s assessment of the Boakai administration also came with a reflection on his experience under former President Weah. He said the major weakness of the previous administration was not necessarily the absence of capable people but the difficulty experienced by some experienced officials in gaining meaningful access to the President.
According to him, individuals around Weah created barriers that prevented experienced leaders from reaching the former President and presenting alternative views. Kollie believes that situation affected decision-making and ultimately contributed to some of the administration’s policy failures.
He cited the harmonization policy as one of the clearest examples. Kollie recalled that the policy was presented during a Cabinet meeting by the then Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, prompting him to question why such an important government policy had not previously been discussed collectively by Cabinet.
Kollie said he raised his concern because major government policies, in his view, should be subjected to Cabinet discussion before being advanced. He recalled that his objection was later acknowledged by Minister Zeogar Wilson, who told him that the issue he had raised was important and could eventually hurt the administration.
He added: “The moment we crossed into 2018, the President was in a cage. People prevented experienced leaders from gaining access to him because those around him wanted to manipulate him.”
The former government official also rejected the argument that his decision to remain in the Weah administration meant he had accepted or supported every decision taken by the former government. He said there was an important distinction between serving in the Executive and serving as an elected member of the Legislature.
Kollie explained that his eventual decision to contest for the Legislature was partly influenced by his desire to have an independent political voice. He said lawmakers are able to express views independently and challenge policies, unlike members of the Executive who operate within the administration’s collective structure.
He added: “No. That is why I chose to contest for the Legislature. There is a difference between serving in the Legislature and serving in the Executive. In the Legislature, you have an independent opinion. Had things been good, I would have remained in the Executive instead of contesting.”
Beyond questions of political access and decision-making, Kollie also defended the Boakai administration against allegations that government funds are being routinely misapplied. He specifically referenced the Road Fund and Social Development Funds allocated to counties, arguing that public resources should be used for the purposes for which they were established.
He cited Nimba, Grand Bassa and Bong counties as examples, while also pointing to funds generated through logging activities and resources provided by development partners. In his assessment, these funds are increasingly being directed toward their intended purposes.
Kollie argued that the Road Fund Authority was established for a particular purpose and that money allocated to it should remain dedicated to road development rather than being redirected to unrelated government activities.
He said: “As part of good governance, I do not see misapplication of funds in this administration. Take the Road Fund. The Road Fund Authority was created for a specific purpose. Those funds should not be diverted elsewhere.”
He further maintained that the implementation of development projects in counties demonstrates, in his assessment, that county development resources are reaching their intended destinations.
While acknowledging criticism that the Boakai administration should not take political credit for projects financed through Social Development Funds, Kollie said the central issue should be whether the resources are being properly utilized.
“I have observed and analyzed the government’s actions. I do not see the government misapplying those county development funds. That is why you are seeing development in Bassa, Bong and Nimba. Some people say the government should not boast because those are Social Development Funds, but the important point is that the money is no longer being diverted,” he added.
Mulbah, however, offered a more measured assessment of the Boakai presidency. While acknowledging progress in some areas, the NPP chairman said he has observed governance practices that deserve criticism.
One of his principal concerns is the relationship between members of the Executive and lawmakers. Mulbah said he has seen instances in which executive officials respond to legislators who raise national concerns with insults or hostile rhetoric.
He argued that such behavior is inappropriate, particularly because the President enjoys a good working relationship with the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Mulbah said executive officials should therefore demonstrate restraint when responding to senators and representatives, particularly when those lawmakers are raising issues of national importance.
He added: “In terms of governance under President Boakai, I see some mistakes in government. I see members of the Executive responding to legislators who raise national issues by insulting them. That is wrong.”
Despite his criticism, Mulbah acknowledged what he considers an area of notable progress under the Boakai administration — road infrastructure.
He said the government has performed well in the road sector, but argued that the same level of achievement has not been reflected in the area of national reconciliation. For Mulbah, reconciliation remains one of the areas where the administration needs to do more.
“President Boakai is not doing well in terms of reconciliation, but as for road infrastructure, he is doing well,” he said.
Mulbah also disagreed directly with Kollie’s position on the handling of public funds. While Kollie said he had not observed misapplication of county development resources under the current administration, Mulbah said there have been instances involving government officials that raise questions about accountability.
He cited the prosecution of an official of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority as an example, arguing that such cases make it difficult to conclude that there have been no instances of financial mismanagement within government.
“I disagree with Moses on the issue of misapplication of funds. There have been instances of misapplication in government. For example, an official of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority was prosecuted,” he said.
The exchange between the two politicians highlights the complicated political journey of individuals who were once associated with the coalition that brought Weah to power but now offer varying assessments of the country’s political direction.
Kollie’s remarks were particularly significant because of his direct experience inside the former administration. His account suggests that some of the challenges confronting the Weah presidency stemmed from the way information and access were managed around the former President.
Mulbah’s intervention, meanwhile, shows that political figures outside the current governing Unity Party remain prepared to acknowledge achievements while simultaneously challenging the administration over areas they believe require improvement.
Original reporting by Front Page Africa
