MONROVIA – The Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) has accused President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung of what it described as 75 counts of “systemic and disgraceful governance failures,” citing rising unemployment, corruption, and a worsening rape crisis.
In a statement issued Tuesday on Capitol Hill, the leadership of the student-based movement at the University of Liberia called for a nationwide protest on April 14 under the theme “March for Jobs and Justice.”
SUP alleged that the Boakai-Koung administration has failed to address the country’s growing social and economic challenges, particularly those affecting young people. The group claimed that high youth unemployment remains one of Liberia’s most pressing problems and criticized the government’s reported creation of 70,000 jobs as misleading.
“Thousands of Liberian youths wake up every day without jobs, skills opportunities, or hope,” the statement said, adding that many young people have been forced into street trading or other informal activities to survive.
The student movement also accused the government of failing to deliver on key employment and development promises, including a 100-day jobs plan, an ICT training program for 10,000 young people, and a plan to deploy 300 public buses to improve transportation. According to SUP, many of those initiatives were either poorly implemented or never fully realized.
A major portion of the statement focused on gender-based violence, which the organization described as a national emergency. Citing figures it attributed to official records, SUP said Liberia recorded 3,591 gender-based violence cases in 2024, including 2,759 rape cases. The group further claimed that more than half of the reported rape cases involved minors.
SUP criticized the government’s response to sexual violence, arguing that prosecution rates remain low and that victims often receive limited support. The group also referenced the case of former youth and sports official Bryant McGill, alleging that authorities failed to act despite accusations against him.
Beyond gender-based violence, SUP listed what it called governance shortcomings in several sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and anti-corruption efforts. Among the allegations were unpaid teachers in several counties, inadequate health services, low national electricity access, and continued dependence on imported food due to limited agricultural investment.
The student organization further accused the government of excessive borrowing, poor management of natural resources, and failing to establish a war and economic crimes court despite campaign promises.
The statement also criticized the government’s promotion of road construction equipment, commonly referred to as “yellow machines,” arguing that such projects do not address deeper social and economic problems.
SUP leaders called on students, civil society organizations, workers, and community groups to participate in the April 14 protest, which they said would highlight concerns about unemployment, governance, and social justice.
“The Liberian people must take their destiny into their own hands,” the group said, urging citizens across the country to mobilize for the planned demonstration.
The government had not responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
