Martin K. N. Kollie writes
Letter to President Joseph Boakai
Martin K. N. Kollie
Exiled Liberian Activist
Spui 70, The Hague, Netherlands
Western Europe
August 4, 2025
H.E. Joseph Nyumah Boakai
President
Republic of Liberia 
Ref: Please Reverse This Decision. It is Time for a “Radical Shift” as Promised – Cut Down on Public Waste Including Huge Budgets, Salaries, and Benefits of “Big Shots”.
Dear Mr. President,
We thank you for the strides that you are making in some areas. However, you promised a “radical shift” from the old order in 2023 under the maxim of the “Rescue Mission”. That “radical shift” is yet to be seen after 1 year, 6 months, and 13 days. The people are still waiting to see and embrace that “radical shift” that you talked about on your campaign trail. The society still remains largely unequal, poverty-stricken, aid-dependent, food insecure, and job stressed so far.
The 2024 W.H.O (H6) Joint Mission Report asserts, “1,100 women and 8,510 newborn babies die every year in Liberia.” Predicated upon these chilling figures, the government cannot transfer the costs of running JFK and other Hospitals to Jobless Liberians and Underpaid Civil Servants while a few “big shots” continue to pocket millions of USD 
every year through the National Budget. The national budget has become a cash cow for a few.
Those in authority know the real problem; yet they pretend not to know. Mr. President, the truth is that your government is spending far more money on the politicians, “the big shots,” than you are spending on the people who elected y’all to power in 2023 (e.g.; healthcare, education, security, electricity, safe drinking water, job creation, etc.).
No child should die or no woman should be turned down simply because she does not have at least US$200 for delivery or maternal care. Mr. President, this is unacceptable. This was never what we settled down for in 2023. Please reverse this decision with urgency. The people are already suffering amid rising prices, as you admitted on July 26, 2025. Extra financial burden cannot be transferred on them simply because the government does not want to cut down on huge public waste.
Mr. President, we give you an instance: Employees on the payroll of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are still earning US$53.66 and US$105.09 per month (Ref: Employee ID#s 45642 and 40960). How does the government expect them to pay for these expensive medical services (at least US$200)? Furthermore, tens of thousands of civil servants are still earning US$150 and below.
Out of this same US$150, the government expects them to pay for their own transportation, feeding, rent, communication, tuition for kids, clothing, water bill, LEC bill, etc. Imagine asking them again to pay at least US$200 which is even far more than what they are earning. Mr. President, I don’t want to even talk about the tens of thousands who are still unemployed and/or job stressed across Liberia.
How do they cover these new charges? Public policies should take into account the suffering, pain, and misery of the ordinary, marginalized, and underprivileged people of our society. This is what our definition of “Rescue” meant in 2023 when we supported you, Mr. President.
Again, Mr. President, this is my fifth time since January 2024 asking you to cut down on the prevailing public waste in your government (e.g.; fat budgets, salaries, and benefits for big shots).
In conclusion, I admonish you to review the attached table. I did a comparative summary of what you, the VP, the Speaker, the Pro-Temp, and the Deputy Speaker received in just 24 months versus what the largest referral hospital that should cater for the critical health needs of all the 5.2 million people in the country received (FY2024-2025).
The offices of just 5 of you got US$22.07 million while the JFK Hospital got US$15 million. The truth is that public health is not being prioritized and public health facilities are largely underfunded while a few greedy and corrupt politicians are pocketing millions of tax dollars every year. Hence, the people’s lives remain at risk, and extra costs are now being transferred on them to compensate for the prevailing public wastage. Mr. President, I implore you to reflect on your message(s) to our people in 2023. It is Time for a “Radical Shift” as you Promised.
Again, we reecho a “radical shift” from the old order. This would mean that no “big shot” including lawmakers and ministers should be allowed to earn more than US$5,000 both in monthly salaries and benefits. The rest of the money (savings) should be diverted to improving the lives of the ordinary people (e.g.; public transport, quality education, safe drinking water, improved health, better housing, security, electricity, job creation, social security, private sector investments, etc.). This was our definition of a “radical shift from the old order” when we joined you to campaign in 2023 as the Chairman on Research and Policy Response (Rescue Rambo).
Let’s put the people first, and not the politicians. Let’s put Liberia first, and not anyone’s interest. This is what we seek as an activist. Hence, we call for a reversal of these new medical charges not only at the JFK but across all medical facilities. Thank you, Mr. President.
Signed: Martin K. N. Kollie
Exiled Liberian Activist
