MONROVIA— President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has warned government officials against circumventing Liberia’s public procurement laws, stressing that state contracts and purchases must be conducted transparently to safeguard public resources and ensure qualified Liberians have a fair opportunity to do business with government.
By J.H. Webster [email protected]
President Boakai made the remarks Thursday during the opening of the 24th Cabinet Meeting in Monrovia, which focused on procurement and concessions.
The meeting was held under the theme, “Value for Money: Maximizing Fiscal Space through System Efficiency and Government Asset Security.”
The President acknowledged that procurement procedures can sometimes be lengthy and frustrating, particularly when government institutions need to purchase goods or obtain services.
However, he said the requirements are designed to protect public resources and should not be bypassed for convenience.
“Sometimes people get frustrated about all what you have to do to go through to buy this and buy that,” President Boakai said.
He added: “But just imagine if these things were not in place, and even if they are in place, that people there were not implementing them, the resources you are talking about, you will not have them.”
According to Boakai, strict compliance with procurement regulations is essential to preventing the misuse of state resources and ensuring that government contracts are awarded through fair and competitive processes.
He said procurement should not be viewed merely as an administrative requirement, but as an important accountability mechanism capable of expanding opportunities for Liberians while reducing perceptions of favoritism.
“When we say procurement in the sense of procurement, it helps with accountability. It helps with fair play in the market. It also helps with making sure that every citizen has access to rendering services to this country,” he said.
The President also challenged the perception that participating in government requires securing a government job, emphasizing that Liberians and local businesses can contribute to national development by supplying goods and services to public institutions.
“Participation in the government doesn’t mean that everybody will work with the government, but you can serve, you can provide goods and services,” the President stated.
Boakai stressed that access to government business must be determined by competition and established procedures rather than personal relationships, political influence or connections.
“To do that in a competitive society, you need to have a process by which everybody can have access without going around saying, well, they give it to their friend, they have this, they have that,” Boakai said.
The President’s remarks placed accountability and value for money at the center of the Cabinet’s discussions as his administration seeks to improve efficiency in public spending, strengthen the management of government assets and ensure that limited state resources produce greater benefits for citizens.
President Boakai also commended members of his Cabinet for their service, noting that public officials are often judged by their mistakes while their daily efforts receive limited recognition.
“People wait for the mistake you make, but we’re in leadership. So we watch and listen. We want to appreciate you very much,” he told Cabinet members.
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