When Joseph Boakai became Liberia’s president, many ordinary citizens mocked him with names like “sleeping president” and “toothless bulldog.” They doubted whether he had the strength to take on corruption or push real reforms. But in less than a year, Boakai has been proving those critics wrong, showing that he is willing to step on toes to restore order in government.
His latest move came last week, when he dismissed three senior officials at the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency. This decision is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign that has been shaking up key institutions across the country.
Last November, Boakai suspended over 450 public officials for failing to declare their assets as required by Liberia’s Code of Conduct. They were removed from their posts without pay and told to return government property. It was a strong message that rules would no longer be ignored.
Since then, the shake-up has touched multiple agencies. At the Liberia Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, three officials were removed over financial misconduct. At the National Oil Company of Liberia, former lawmaker Rostalyn Suakoko Dennis was suspended for mismanagement. Even the Fisheries Authority and Commerce Ministry were not spared, with high-ranking officials forced out over questionable spending, including the purchase of a vehicle at nearly twice the approved budget.
The clean-up has reached Liberia’s foreign missions too. Nine ambassador-designates, including appointees to the US, Japan, and Ghana, were suspended for refusing to declare assets. Some have since complied, but the message was clear: no one is above the law.
Still, Boakai isn’t just focused on punishment. He has pushed forward with road projects and development plans, boosted by the upcoming arrival of dozens of earth-moving machines to speed up infrastructure work across the country.
The opposition, led by former President George Weah’s CDC party, has tried to stir protests, accusing Boakai of failing to improve the economy. But turnout has been small, and the president seems unfazed. At a recent event, he told government workers to “stay focused and ignore distractions.”
Today, the man once dismissed as weak and slow-moving is showing a different face – firm, deliberate, and ready to confront corruption. For many Liberians, Joseph Boakai is no longer the “sleeping president” they once joked about, but a leader reshaping his legacy through bold and decisive action.
