Liberia: US$1 Billion Collected, But Liberians Still Struggle: CDC-US Official Takes Aim at Boakai’s Administration

MONROVIA — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s declaration that Liberia’s domestic revenue milestone must translate into tangible improvements for ordinary citizens has drawn sharp criticism from Matthew Young, a member of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Diaspora Cyber Team in the United States.

By Christopher C. Walker [email protected]

Reacting to the Liberia Revenue Authority’s (LRA) announcement that domestic collections had breached the US$1 billion mark, Young questioned whether the figure offers meaningful relief to Liberians grappling with economic hardship.

His comments followed President Boakai’s national address celebrating what the executive branch termed a historic event raising more than US$1 billion in domestic revenue within a single fiscal period.

While the President framed the milestone as evidence of expanding state capacity, Young argued that the administration is celebrating raw revenue figures without demonstrating real impact on daily living conditions.

“Equate the revenue raised/collected to that of the life of ordinary Liberians it is a complete opposite,” Young stated in a social media post.

‘What Does US$1 Billion Mean for the Ordinary Liberian?’

Young’s intervention shifts the political debate directly onto public spending priorities.

He asserted that a disproportionate share of the funds continues to support government operations rather than targeted social investments.

“Eighty percent of that revenue goes back into recurrent expenditure for the government to run, instead of prioritized social impact programs to lift our population out of poverty,” Young argued.

His critique underscores a central point of debate for the Unity Party-led administration: how quickly increased revenue collection will produce measurable economic benefits for the public amid concerns over unemployment, underfunded schools, health sector deficits, and inflation.

Boakai: ‘Every Dollar Must Serve the Public Good’

President Boakai addressed public expectations directly in his speech, stating that the milestone must yield direct societal results.

“We do not view this milestone as just a number on the government’s ledger,” President Boakai said. “Behind every dollar stands a Liberian.”

The President pledged that his administration would ensure that “every dollar generated delivers results Liberians can see and feel,”

linking the revenue gains to the administration’s national ARREST Agenda.

According to the President, allocations are already supporting key public sector commitments:

The Liberian leader said there are Salary adjustments for more than 23,000 public servants across health, public works, security, the Judiciary, the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).

President Boakai disclosed a formal placement of over 3,400 long-serving volunteer teachers and healthcare workers onto the official civil service payroll.

Debate Over Fiscal Priorities

Despite the initiatives outlined by the executive branch, opposition commentators contend that current spending patterns leave systemic economic issues unaddressed.

Young rejected claims that hitting revenue benchmarks automatically equates to national progress.

“Stop beating your chest for scoring goals when there is no one to celebrate in front,” Young wrote.

President Boakai acknowledged that higher revenue levels create greater expectations for institutional performance.

“We have raised one billion dollars, yet the dreams and aspirations of our people are greater than one billion,” Boakai noted.

With the government targeting US$1.3 billion in domestic revenue, the debate over public expenditure and immediate socio-economic outcomes remains a central point of national discourse.