Africa-Press – Liberia. By Jruah Thompson
Monrovia, September 29, 2025: Sinoe County Senator Crayton Oldman Duncan has blamed President Joseph Boakai for the long-suffering of the Liberian people, stating that his government lacks vision, is failing to fulfill its promises, and is allowing foreign nationals to control major decisions that do not benefit the country.
Speaking recently at the Nelson Mandela Intellectual Forum in Redhill field Community, District #17, Montserrado County, Sen. Duncan revealed that the presidency influences 98% of the decisions made at the Legislature.
He argues that because lawmakers often rely on the presidency to implement major development agendas within their countries in order to secure their reelection, they are quick to endorse concession agreements that are not in the country’s interest.
“Once the president doesn’t want it, there’s nothing any lawmaker can do about it because the majority always follows. And if you get vexed with the president, who will help you when you want certain things done in your county?” he questioned.
He further revealed that concession agreements from the Executive Mansion are often rushed through the Legislature. “They will promise to give each county two or three thousand in the agreement and drop it on legislators’ desks, telling us this is what the president wants, so hurry and pass it,” he alleged.
He referenced the signing of four landmark Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) with Atlas Oranto Petroleum International Ltd as a clear example of the problem. He explained that this is the same company that previously exploited Liberia, earning over $4 million from oil blocks purchased from the country for just $2 million. “Now this is the same company we are now entering another agreement with,” he stressed.
However, he claimed, Liberia has been mismanaged for years, leaving the nation stagnant. “Go to Lofa, and you will see logging trucks hauling away our resources one after another. Liberians are not benefiting from any of it,” he said, noting that the situation has worsened under the Weah administration, with national resources being plundered while none of them had a say in the matter.
Comparing Liberia’s progress to that of neighboring countries, he added that this ongoing practice has kept the nation trapped in its current state.
He described it as unfortunate that a nation founded by freed slaves is still lagging. “The only thing the government focuses on is paying civil servants at the end of the month. There is no initiative, no vision, no plan, nothing is happening,” he lamented.
Highlighting the daily struggles of ordinary Liberians, he pointed to the soaring cost of education. “Look around, every backyard school charges $200, and a parent with two or three children simply cannot afford the fees,” he said.
Speaking at the event, he defended lawmakers’ pursuit of benefits from agreements, citing their low salaries. “$6,500 is nothing for a lawmaker. I just built two schools and two hospitals in my district. Do you think people look at my face and say, ‘Come sit here’? No! they recognize what I’ve done for them,” he explained.
He also took aim at the country’s so-called intellectuals, accusing them of failing to advocate for the interests of ordinary Liberians. “What hurts most is that these intellectuals only rejoice when a leader is sanctioned. Yet, they are quick to come running to lawmakers when they need hospital care or when their children cannot afford school fees,” he concluded.
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