–President Challenges Cabinet to Strengthen Procurement, Protect State Assets and Maximize Limited Public Resources
MONROVIA — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Thursday, August 27, chaired the 24th Cabinet Meeting of his administration, placing value for money, fiscal efficiency, public procurement and the protection of government assets at the center of discussions as his government continues efforts to strengthen accountability in the use of public resources.
The Cabinet meeting, held under the theme “Value for Money, Maximizing Fiscal Space Through System Efficiency and Government Asset Security,” brought together senior government officials to review issues considered critical to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations.
According to the agenda presented at the meeting, major presentations were expected from the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC).
The PPCC was scheduled to provide an overview of the government’s public procurement and concessions system, while NOCAL was expected to address issues surrounding the protection of public assets, fiscal risks and strengthening government revenue.
The LRRRC, meanwhile, was expected to brief Cabinet on the current migrant situation in Liberia, including the reported influx of migrants, the third-country nationals and developments surrounding the “safe territory agreement” referenced during the briefing.
Boakai: Government Must Make Resources Work for the People
Opening the meeting, President Boakai thanked members of his Cabinet for their service, acknowledging the demanding responsibilities involved in running the affairs of the state.
“We welcome you again to this Cabinet meeting. And I’d like to thank you for what you do for the country.”
The President stressed that government officials must remain focused on the national interest and continue working despite the pressures associated with public service.
He said the meeting would be relatively brief but emphasized that the issues before Cabinet remained important to the country.
“We watch and listen. And I would appreciate it very much. Today, as I said, it won’t be too long.”
Boakai’s remarks placed particular emphasis on the need for systems and procedures within government to produce tangible benefits for citizens.
He challenged officials to understand not merely what government systems are, but why they exist and how they should be implemented to protect public resources and deliver better outcomes.
“You need to know why it is placed and how it’s been done to benefit others.”
Procurement as an Accountability Tool
A significant portion of the President’s opening remarks focused on public procurement.
Boakai said procurement systems are important because they promote accountability, fairness and equal opportunity for citizens and businesses seeking to provide goods and services to government.
“In the sense of procurement, they help you with accountability. They help with fair play.”
He stressed that participation in government should not be interpreted simply as obtaining employment within the public sector.
Instead, he said Liberians and businesses should have opportunities to participate in the national economy by providing goods and services to government through a transparent and competitive process.
“Participation in the government doesn’t mean that everybody will work with the government. They can serve and they can provide goods and services.”
The President said this requires a process that allows everyone to compete fairly rather than one in which contracts and opportunities are informally distributed through personal connections.
“To do that in a competing society, you need to have a process about which everybody can come in.”
The remarks reinforce the central theme of the meeting—that government must obtain maximum value from every dollar spent while ensuring that procurement and contracting processes remain fair and accountable.
PPCC, NOCAL and LRRRC on Cabinet Agenda
The Cabinet’s agenda was structured around three principal areas.
The PPCC was expected to discuss the government’s procurement system and provide an overview of public procurement, concessions and national procurement activities.
NOCAL was also scheduled to make a presentation relating to the protection of government assets, with the briefing expected to address issues concerning the reduction of fiscal risks and strengthening government revenue.
The inclusion of public asset security and government revenue in the Cabinet’s agenda reflects the administration’s broader concern with maximizing fiscal space and ensuring that state resources and assets are properly managed.
The LRRRC was expected to conclude the presentations with an update on the migrant situation in Liberia and related developments.
President Raises Border and National-Interest Concerns
In his opening remarks, President Boakai also referenced developments that had come to his attention, including an announcement by the Minister of Justice.
He linked the matter to the protection of Liberia’s borders and national interests, emphasizing that the country’s territorial integrity must be protected.
“It is about making sure that the borders are able to continue to be ours.”
The President’s comments came as the Cabinet prepared to receive the LRRRC’s briefing on the migrant situation, making migration and border management another significant issue before the government during the meeting.
Cabinet Office Conducting Media Review
At the opening of the meeting, Director-General of the Cabinet Nathaniel T. Kwabo also announced that the Cabinet Office is conducting a media review involving government agencies.
Kwabo called on Cabinet officials and agencies to cooperate with the process, which he said was currently being undertaken across government.
He also noted that some Cabinet ministers were temporarily absent from the briefing.
The meeting was subsequently handed over to President Boakai to preside over the substantive Cabinet discussions.
Focus on Efficiency and Public Value
The 24th Cabinet Meeting comes as the Boakai administration continues to emphasize stronger systems, institutional accountability and better management of public resources.
The meeting’s theme—“Value for Money, Maximizing Fiscal Space Through System Efficiency and Government Asset Security”—places emphasis on ensuring that government institutions operate efficiently and that limited public resources produce measurable results.
For President Boakai, the issue goes beyond the existence of government procedures. The effectiveness of those systems, he suggested, depends on whether officials properly implement them and whether they ultimately benefit the Liberian people.
With procurement, public assets, revenue generation, fiscal risks and migration all on the Cabinet’s agenda, Thursday’s meeting brought together several issues with direct implications for the government’s ability to manage the country’s resources and respond to emerging national challenges.
The President closed his opening intervention by thanking the officials and directors involved in the government’s work and signaling that the issues before Cabinet required continued attention and action.
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