President Boakai shocks Liberians, announces salary cut
By Emmanuel Sixtus
Monrovia, Liberia – in a clear move to show his willingness and readiness to fiscally restore integrity and patriotism, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr announced a major decision taken solely by him.
The decision announced would see him willingly deduct 40% off his salary. The statement was made yesterday on the official Liberian Government website.
The move underscores the patriotism preached and believed by the President. He has always preached accountability in the financial institution of the country.
Liberia is facing uncertain economic situation that has taken significant toll on the country. Liberia is desperately in need of leadership to pilot the economic recovery of the country.
The President’s decision has first and foremost shown that he has something to offer, and not to engage in corruption and primitive accumulation of the peoples common wealth.
The practice is a formidable example for the country’s politicians. The President also spoke about duty, which the action absolutely reflected.
“The decision to voluntarily reduce my salary by 40% is driven by a profound sense of duty and a commitment to lead by example. Strengthening accountability and ensuring fiscal integrity are paramount to the progress and stability of our beloved nation,” President Boakai stated in his announcement.
The move will now put in place a clear and strategic plan to conserve the nation’s wealth and use it to build the failing economy.
He also spoke about looking into the salaries of civil workers, to possibly increase or decrease where is due.
This move is part of a broader strategy to align public sector compensation with the nation’s financial capabilities, ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and effectively.
“The Civil Service Agency will be tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of public servants’ salaries to ensure they are fair and just, aligning with the current economic state of our nation. It is imperative that we provide fair compensation for the invaluable contributions of our public servants, who are the backbone of our government,” he emphasized.
The President plans to stabilize the economy and change the narrative from cash cow to a working government that will sacrifice where necessary to save the country.
“The commitment to financial responsibility and fair compensation is a positive step towards fostering a culture of accountability and equity within the government. This initiative is expected to set a precedent for responsible governance and fiscal discipline,” the announcement explained.
The move by the President has been hailed and appreciated by civil society organizations and experts in the country.
The people of Liberia are also pleased to see a leader that is putting the country before personal benefits and have also hailed the President as the right man for their difficult time.
An analyst based in Monrovia said “President Boakai’s decision is a welcome development. It shows a clear commitment to addressing the fiscal challenges facing Liberia and sets a benchmark for other leaders,”
Reduction of salary is not the only thing needed to reform the failing economy of the country, but such move shows strong commitment and would lead to efficiency and accountability, while adding to fight for survival.
Reforms must be put in place for sufficient generation of internal and external revenues, manage economy improvement based projects, and stem the tide of corruption in the system.
“This is a collective effort. We must all play our part in ensuring that our country’s resources are managed wisely and that we create a sustainable future for the next generation,” President Boakai said, knowing that the decision he took will need collaboration of like minds to effectively impact on the economy of the country.
