The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi A. Adesina, has challenged Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to take swift and decisive action against underperforming government officials, warning that failure to do so will stall national progress and erode public confidence.
Speaking Tuesday during the official launch of the AfDB-supported Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank in Liberia, Dr. Adesina pointed to what is believed to be both a challenge and a call to leadership action.
He used a soccer metaphor to stress the urgency: “Mr. President, don’t just blow the whistle, use your yellow card or red card.”
Dr. Adesina, delivering remarks under the theme “Liberia: Arise, and Shine”, stated that Liberia’s advancement depends on the effectiveness of its public institutions and the accountability of its public officials. “Non-performance in government ministries and agencies is a major threat to progress,” he said, noting it not only weakens service delivery but also leads to a “loss of public trust and confidence.”
In his speech, the AfDB President applauded President Boakai’s recent decision to implement performance appraisals and a new Performance Management and Compliance System (PMCS). But he stressed that good systems alone are not enough without the political will to enforce consequences.
“The system is only as strong as its ability to manage consequences,” Adesina stated. “You don’t have time for Performance Improvement Plans. You are in elected office for four years. The public is hungry for results and time is not on your side. So be firm. Reward performers. Dispense with non-performers.”
He encouraged President Boakai to adopt the mindset of a football coach, ready to substitute players when they’re not delivering. “Where you see underperformance, be like a soccer club manager: change the player and change the game plan. A stitch in time saves nine,” he said.
Dr. Adesina also spoke about the importance of collaborative governance, urging Boakai to break silos between ministries and agencies through a unified, results-driven strategy he referred to as the “One Government” approach.
Drawing from his own leadership at the African Development Bank, Adesina recounted how he dismantled siloed operations within the institution when he took office in 2015. “I introduced joint annual work planning, linked budgets to delivery, and emphasized alignment with national priorities,” he explained. “Just like a Mercedes Benz factory, where each unit may build a part, what must come out is one product.”
The success of that model, he said, is evident in the Bank’s “High5” development priorities strategies that now drive Africa’s transformation continent-wide.
Adesina’s message was clear: deliver fast, deliver together, and don’t hesitate to act on failure. His speech was met with strong applause from Liberian officials, development partners, and civil society representatives in attendance.
