Monrovia – Ex-Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai has stated that despite his defeat in the 2017 elections, strategizing programs to benefit the lives of ordinary Liberians remains among his top priorities.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]
Veep Boakai also stated that it is rare for defeated candidates, who had taken part in a major national election, especially after draining personal resources, to dust themselves up and begin to strategize programs to benefit the same voters who had let them down in the election.
“A lot of people come out of the election and don’t look back. 10 to 11 months are not a long time to be back. I have taken a break. I want to make sure that I impact the lives of Liberians,” the former Vice President stated.
In an exclusive interview with this newspaper Thursday, November 29, in his personal office at his home, Ambassador Boakai disclosed that Friday, November 30, which is his birthday, his foundation will be officially launched in Monrovia. The Chief Guest of Honor is expected to be the President of Liberia, Mr. George Manneh Weah.
The foundation named “The Joseph N. Boakai Foundation,” will collaborate with relevant agencies and institutions, both national and international, to organize training programs in agriculture and do things in other relevant areas.
The JNB Foundation will also contribute to sustaining the peace through dialogues on mediation, conflict resolution, reconciliation, and socio-economic development.
There seven focused areas of the Foundation include Agriculture, Education, Health, Water and Sanitation, Youth and Gender Development.
Amb. Boakai stated that even though it is just going to be launched on Friday, but the Foundation had long before the launch day been involved with the implementation of most of the programs in several counties.
“Some of the things are in progress; the agriculture area, we have a cocoa seed farm in production and we are supplying farmers. Also, we have a clinic that has been performing free surgeries for children between the ages 1 to 9 weekly. It is for parents who cannot afford. A team of doctors has been examining older people, too.
“We work on collective impact and through institutions that are set up; it is a passion that we have. The Foundation can help the crucial needs; we don’t intend to solve all the problems.”
Even though hailing from northern Lofa County, he clarified that most of his programs are not only in Lofa adding that the Foundation has carried out distribution of books and school materials along with six ferries in different counties.