Liberia: Konneh Says Macroeconomy Was Stable Under Weah, Challenges Boakai to Do Better

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Senator Amara Konneh has warned the Boakai administration against ignoring rising public frustration, urging a shift from partisan deflection to policy action, while defending his claim that Liberia’s economy was more stable under the CDC in 2023 than it is today.

Konneh made the comments in a July 18 Facebook post, where he weighed in on the July 17 “We the People: Enough is Enough” protest organized by STAND. He cautioned President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s administration not to dismiss the concerns of demonstrators, warning that doing so could carry serious political consequences as the Unity Party eyes reelection in 2029.

While some government supporters described the protest as a failure due to the low turnout, Konneh viewed it as a signal of deeper governance issues that, if left unaddressed, could cripple the Boakai administration.

“Now that the debate about yesterday’s protest and crowd size is over, I hope we can focus on the important issues affecting our country,” Konneh wrote. “The truth quietly watches our self-deception since 1980. It doesn’t protest or make noise. Those who oppose us often reveal truths that supporters might miss. We lie to protect ourselves, but we usually speak honestly when we disagree.”

He added, “A silent majority didn’t feel the need to protest yesterday, maybe because of its leaders, but will protest at the polls in 2029 if they don’t see the government making a difference in their lives.”

Konneh urged the Boakai government to take protesters’ grievances seriously–from corruption allegations to economic stagnation.

“They say, ‘We can ignore reality, but we cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.’ Remember, we had stable macroeconomics before the 2023 elections. While we are making steady progress now, times are still tough for families. Don’t trust those who only say good things about you or a situation!”

His remarks, particularly the praise for the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)’s economic stewardship under former President George Weah, drew swift backlash from allies of the current administration.

Among them was Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs Daniel Sando, who labeled Konneh’s post “a pile of contradictions and deceptive rhetoric.”

“Your attempt to downplay the steady progress being accomplished by the government on many fronts while simultaneously warning of a ‘silent majority’s’ potential backlash in 2029 is a thinly veiled political ploy–one that seeks to absolve your own faction of accountability to the people while shifting the blame on the government as usual,” Sando said.

Sando, a Liberty Party stalwart and frequent critic of former President Weah, dismissed any wrongdoing by the current Unity Party-led government.

“Your pretense of selective truth-telling is annoying,” he continued. “You claim that ‘those who oppose us often reveal truths that supporters might miss,’ yet you are engaged in the very deception you condemned. I wonder where your reverence for the truth was when the CDC was in power?”

Sando offered no data to support his assertions of widespread corruption under the Weah administration but accused it of looting public resources.

“Your suggestion that Liberia had ‘stable macroeconomics before the 2023 elections,’ while ignoring the excesses of the CDC regime that plunged the economy into the toilet, is a gross distortion,” he said. “The economic stagnation, corruption, and mismanagement of state resources by the Weah administration are well-documented and should not be ignored.”

Sando credited the peaceful outcome of the July 17 protest to the Liberia National Police and lauded what he called the professionalism of the security forces, saying they were far better than under the previous regime. However, he failed to acknowledge reports of police brutality and alleged shootings in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount, under the current administration.

“Additionally, Mr. Senator, we see no genuine reason for a public protest against the government,” he claimed. “Yes, the protest became a failure because, unlike you, our people know and understand that the motives of the organizers are self-seeking and political.”

Sando quoted a friend–unnamed–who claimed the protest lacked moral authority because of its association with former CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu. The friend argued that Morlu, who supported the Weah administration until its final days, could not credibly rally people to protest against a new government trying to “clean the mess they created.”

Sando concluded by asking Konneh whether he agreed with that viewpoint.

Konneh’s Response

Senator Konneh chose not to respond to individual criticisms. Instead, he returned with data to reinforce his claim of macroeconomic stability under the CDC.

“After reading comments on my post about yesterday’s protest, I noticed that supporters of the UP and CDC focused only on my point about needing ‘stable macroeconomic conditions before the 2023 elections,”‘ he wrote. “Some UP supporters questioned my statements, while CDC supporters used them to argue that their government should have been re-elected.”

He then shared the following statistics:

Economic growth: 4.6%
Inflation rate: 10.1%
Fiscal deficit: reduced by 3%
Public spending: decreased by 2.9%
Public debt: 52.6% of GDP in 2023 (compared to 54.9% in 2024)

Sources: Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), African Development Bank (AfDB), and World Bank (WB).

“There is a big difference between politics and noise, good governance and settling scores,” Konneh said. “It is the impact that these economic indicators have on citizens that keeps governments in power. All our legislative, executive, and judicial actions must be laser-focused on them. Easier said than done, but we have no other choice.”

He added: “Ask the Democrats in the USA if you are in denial about what happened in Liberia in 2023. Let’s breathe some honesty into our politics.”

Konneh was instrumental in setting up a “war room” during the 2023 presidential election and subsequent runoff to safeguard vote integrity. Unity Party supporters hailed him as a hero. He previously served as Finance Minister under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, during which Boakai served as Vice President.

Tweah Backs Konneh’s Honesty

Former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah applauded Konneh’s comments, calling him “honest” and courageous.

“Let me express profound thanks to Senator Amara Konneh for his honesty and for championing a new brand of ‘honest politicking,’ a strange and alien animal in the environ of Liberian politics,” Tweah said.