MONROVIA: Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai completes 100 days in office this month. Juggling a president’s performance after 100 days in office is becoming a Liberian political tradition.
Here are some of the key policy issues of Boakai’s first 100 days and how he has fared so far:
AGRICULTURE
Boakai’s major agriculture promise was to carry out agricultural census; develop the national agriculture development plan, and Initiate discussion on the establishment of an Agriculture and Industrial Development Bank (AIDB) and in his first 100 days in office.
So far, food security strategy is at 95% completion rate and the Ministry of Agriculture is cultivating 100 hectares of lowland at Fuamah Multipurpose Cooperative in Bong Mines.
The Boakai’s agriculture campaign has completed data collection with the data analysis ongoing.
The administration has secured money as counterpart funding for the creation of Agriculture and Enterprise Development Bank.
INFRASTRUCTURE & BASIC SERVICES (Roads)
Boakai, a progressive, devoted much of his first several weeks in office pushing top government officials to address the gap in infrastructure and basic services.
The Unity Party Rescue plan, passed over opposition expectation, delivered on the key economic promise Boakai made on the campaign.
Helped by the stimulus plan for families and businesses also by the steady rollout of programs, the government has committed to provide meteorological services data equipment for the Robert International Airport (RIA).
It would also follow constructing the National Digital Cyber Forensic Lab and reactivate e-Liberia and Ensuring that all major roads are pliable all seasons.
Nearly all the critical Road corridors have been identified across the country. All contracts awarded, contractors received first set of disbursement and critical spots across the country are currently being aggressively worked on in anticipation of the rainy season.
This improvement is expected to continue as normal commerce resumes and people become comfortable again.
RULE OF LAW
Boakai has proved to be unexpectedly tough on eradicating the trade and use of illegal substances in Liberia.
He has disbursed $200,000 towards the fight against illegal substances in response to the growing adverse effects of substance abuse and raided 21 ghettos including 200 suspected drug dealers detained.
The Government has identified and is monitoring specific locations in densely populated areas such as Pelham Building, Zimbabwe Ghetto, 12th Street Block, the community behind ERA Supermarket, and King Gray Community.
Those policy positions have shown the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency has some task ahead.
EDUCATION SECTOR
Boakai moved swiftly to maintain some of Weah’s policies, but he has struggled to deal with a sharp rise in the influx of students at the state-run university including tens of thousands of high school students sitting WASSCE.
The Government of Liberia has committed to pay scholarship arrears for local and foreign students – Invest in Youth Capacity Building in ICT for the first six months and complete the construction of 25 schools.
The administration pledged to US$ 579,119 for the payment of arrears for both local and international scholarship students.
HEALTH
Boakai moved quickly to have transitioned 123 beneficiaries of the At-Risk Youth program from rehabilitation to recovery and reintegration in collaboration with health.
Responding to increasing gap in health education and substance disorders, his administration secured 15 domestic scholarships annually through the Ministry of Education for Mental Health Clinicians to pursue Master’s degree in Advanced Practice Clinical Psychiatric Mental Health.
He 100 days also unveiled an agreement secured with partners for the purchase of medications used in treating substance use disorder among others.
