MONROVIA, Liberia — The Senate on Tuesday declined a request by Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. to summon Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah to clarify President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s assertion that government “created nearly 70,000 jobs” in 2025, a pronouncement the President made when he delivered his Annual Message to the Legislature on Monday, January 26.
In a communication to plenary, Snowe asked that the Labor Minister provide a sector‑by‑sector breakdown, timelines, and geographic distribution for the jobs cited by the President, arguing that the figure “appears highly untrue” and warranted technical clarification. He said a ministerial appearance would help the Senate and public determine whether the number is grounded in concrete policy execution or rhetoric.
The request was rejected following a motion by Bong County Senator Prince Kermue Moye, who argued it would be procedurally improper to require a cabinet minister to answer on behalf of a statement made directly by the President. “The Labor Minister cannot be made to respond to pronouncements of the President himself,” Sen. Moye contended, a position that carried the day and led to dismissal of the request without debate.
Senate Leadership to Seek Clarification from the President
Seeking a middle course, the Senate’s leadership would instead engage President Boakai directly and later brief the plenary. No timetable or format for that engagement was announced.
The episode has sparked debate over oversight and transparency. Supporters of Snowe’s request say the Labor Ministry, as the lead institution on employment policy and data, is best placed to provide a technical accounting of job creation—regardless of who made the announcement—at a time of high unemployment and economic strain. Others say routing the query through the President respects separation of powers and avoids setting a precedent of ministers being summoned to interpret presidential addresses.
What’s at stake
The 70,000‑jobs claim has become a political flashpoint following the President’s Annual Message, which also highlighted a US$1.211 billion budget (94% domestically financed), a tripled public investment envelope, and reforms aimed at stabilizing prices and re‑energizing investment. Opponents insist the administration must substantiate the jobs number with verifiable data and show how temporary assignments translate into durable employment.
Next steps
The Senate leadership’s engagement with the President—and any subsequent briefing to plenary—will now become the focus for lawmakers seeking clarity. Sen. Snowe said the outcome underscores a reluctance by the Legislature to rigorously scrutinize executive claims and vowed to keep pressing for details on how the 70,000 figure was derived and where those jobs exist across sectors and counties.
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