Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has published its President Meter Performance Report for January to August 2024, assessing President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s administration against 119 campaign commitments.
The report presents a mixed evaluation, revealing that only 3% of promises have been fulfilled, with 59% still in progress.
Naymote Executive Director Eddie Jarwolo announced the findings on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, in Paynesville, noting that out of the 119 promises tracked, only three have been fully realized, while 70 are ongoing.
Eddie Jarwolo disclosed that 17 promises have not yet commenced, and 29 remain unrated due to insufficient data or government delays.
This highlights the slow pace of vital reforms needed for Liberia’s development.
“While the government’s emphasis on infrastructure and governance is commendable, the slow implementation of critical reforms raises concerns,” Jarwolo stated.
He emphasized the importance of reforms in health, education, anti-drug efforts, and combating corruption, which are essential for improving public service delivery and oversight of infrastructure investments.
Without these measures, the foundations for economic growth and job creation remain precarious.
In the areas of macroeconomic stability and infrastructure development, of the 67 promises, 42 are ongoing, indicating significant investment in road construction and financial management reforms.
The report highlighted that the government has also made progress in healthcare, with nine out of 12 promises in progress. In education, three out of 11 promises are ongoing, reflecting a commitment to improving access and quality.
However, Naymote’s Executive Director revealed that in governance and rule of law, none of the 16 promises have been completed, highlighting challenges in strengthening Liberia’s governance and justice systems.
In the realm of gender, youth, children, and social protection, only one of nine promises has been fulfilled, according to the report.
Regarding the fight against corruption, all four commitments are ongoing, underlining the need for stronger integrity measures.
Though there have been early steps taken towards the fight against corruption, including the recent indictment of some former senior government officials, such as ex-Finance Minister Samuel Tweh,
former Justice Minister Nyanitee Tuah, and former Security Advisor, among others, there is a need for more robust action against corruption.
The report stresses the urgency of reforms in health, education, and anti-corruption to enhance service delivery and public accountability.
Despite some positive developments, the slow progress raises concerns about the overall effectiveness of the administration.
Jarwolo pointed out that a lack of accessible data from government institutions hinders transparency and public oversight.
Improved information sharing is crucial for building trust and accountability.
The report urges President Boakai’s administration to accelerate legislative and policy initiatives to translate these promises into real outcomes.
With a six-year mandate under the 1986 Constitution, there is significant potential for reform.
Jarwolo emphasized that their report is in no way intended to determine whether Boakai’s administration has failed or succeeded, but rather to remind the government of its promises made to the Liberian people.
According to Naymote’s Executive Director, they typically release an annual report, but the shape of the reporting system is based on two primary reasons: the budget year begins in August, so they decided to release their report capturing data from January to August to enable the government to place emphasis on priority areas in the budget as outlined in the report.
Secondly, Jarwolo disclosed that their report was released at the time when the government has developed a national agenda; this will allow the government to highlight key areas mentioned in the report.
In conclusion, the report acknowledges both progress and challenges, recommending immediate attention to the latter to meet the expectations of the Liberian people.
Jarwolo affirmed that Naymote will continue to monitor government performance and advocate for accountability.
The President Meter project, initiated during former President George Weah’s term, aims to track and report on the performance of Liberia’s president during and after elections while monitoring the development agenda.
