The Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), a prominent civil rights and accountability organization, has sharply criticized President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), describing it as a speech filled with promises and projections but lacking verifiable results, accountability, and connection to the lived realities of ordinary Liberians.
In a statement issued following a review of the address, STAND said the President’s speech relied heavily on figures, forecasts, and optimistic language while failing to demonstrate tangible outcomes or measurable progress.
According to the group, what was presented as achievements amounted largely to recycled plans and future intentions portrayed as current successes.
STAND argued that repeated references to the rule of law and impartial justice ring hollow in a country where no senior government official has been convicted for grand corruption.
The organization questioned claims of indictments and convictions cited in the address, noting the absence of names, specific cases, recovered assets, or public accountability. It also accused the administration of selective silence on politically sensitive cases, including the Capitol arson incident.
The group further described the government’s legislative agenda as aspirational rather than factual, pointing out that institutions frequently cited as accomplishments—such as a Civil Service Commission, Land Court, National Road Authority, and Universal Health Insurance—remain unrealized.
STAND said that nearly three years into the administration, governance has been reduced to promises instead of service delivery.
On economic matters, STAND dismissed claims of stability, arguing that rising living costs, unemployment, and currency pressure contradict official narratives.
It raised concern over Liberia’s growing public debt, now estimated at nearly US$2.8 billion, and warned that proposed Value Added Tax implementation without adequate social protection could worsen hardship for vulnerable citizens.
The organization also challenged the President’s assertion that 70,000 jobs have been created, stating that no credible data, job registry, sectoral breakdown, or independent verification has been provided.
According to STAND, widespread youth unemployment remains visible across communities nationwide.
STAND further rejected claims of reduced cost of living, citing persistent increases in food prices, transportation costs, rent, healthcare, and school fees. It described the administration’s approach to inflation and price control as contradictory and ineffective.
On infrastructure, the group questioned the quality and sustainability of reported road projects, noting that many roads deteriorate rapidly during the rainy season.
It also raised concerns over the accountability and management of the government’s Yellow Machines program, calling for transparency and auditing.
Energy sector claims were similarly criticized, with STAND noting that electricity access remains among the lowest in Africa and power outages remain routine. Proposed large-scale energy projects, the group said, exist largely on paper without clear financing or timelines.
In agriculture, STAND said food insecurity persists despite claims of farmer support, as Liberia continues to depend heavily on rice imports and lacks a national food surplus. The organization also criticized social protection programs as limited, opaque, and insufficient to address widespread poverty and youth drug abuse.
On land reform and decentralization, STAND highlighted ongoing land disputes, forced evictions, and continued centralization of power in Monrovia, despite official claims of progress. It also dismissed foreign policy achievements as symbolic, arguing that international recognition does little to address domestic challenges.
STAND concluded that reconciliation efforts remain incomplete without justice, pointing to stalled efforts to establish a War and Economic Crimes Court and the continued protection of officials accused of serious abuses.
“A State of the Nation Address should reflect reality, not manufacture optimism,” the statement said, adding that until governance shifts from promises to delivery and from rhetoric to accountability, national addresses will continue to fall short of the people’s expectations.
The statement was signed by Mulbah K. Morlu, Jr., Chairman of Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND).
