President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is under mounting public backlash and scrutiny after confirming a 23-member official delegation, excluding his security, press, protocol, and attendant staff, for a week-long visit to Japan, raising serious concerns about government waste and a potential breach of recent travel reform policy aimed at curbing wasteful public spending.
The President departed Monrovia on Saturday, August 16, 2025, en route to Yokohama, Japan, to participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9) and later attend Liberia-focused engagements at Expo 2025 in Osaka.
Both events are being held under the auspices of the Japanese Government, the United Nations, the African Union Commission, and the World Bank.
But back home, the spotlight is not on the President’s diplomatic mission, it’s on the size of his delegation.
A Costly Contradiction?
Despite the Executive Mansion’s justification that the trip will promote Liberia’s development agenda and attract foreign investment, many observers are questioning the need for such a large entourage, especially when weighed against official policy.
A travel reform directive issued earlier this year by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, widely supported by President Boakai himself, clearly states that “total GoL-funded representation at any program or event held outside Liberia shall not exceed five (5) persons in total regardless of how many entities are involved.” For specific high-level summits, the cap is seven (7).
The delegation announced by the Executive Mansion, however, includes 23 high-level officials, ranging from cabinet ministers and lawmakers to presidential envoys and business leaders-and does not account for additional protocol, security, communications, and logistical staff accompanying the President.
Déjà Vu from the Weah Era
Many Liberians see the move as reminiscent of former President George Weah’s controversial travel practices, which were often criticized as extravagant and wasteful.
“This is what we voted against,” said political analyst and civil society advocate Sarah Kolleh. “We were promised fiscal discipline, travel reform, and governance with integrity.
“This Japan trip violates all of that. It’s business as usual-just with a different face.”
Inside the Delegation
Among those traveling with President Boakai include:
Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti
Finance Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan
Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah
Commerce Minister Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh
Senate Foreign Affairs Chair Abraham Darius Dillon
House Foreign Affairs Chair Nehker E. Gaye
Tourism Envoy Christopher Onanuga
Business Association President James Morzart Strother
The delegation also includes multiple assistant ministers and presidential advisors, several of whom critics say could have remained in Monrovia or participated virtually.
Cost to the State
While the Executive Mansion has yet to publish a full cost breakdown of the trip, initial estimates suggest the journey could cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars when accounting for airfare, accommodations, per diem, and logistics, all amid economic strain, budget shortfalls, and delays in civil servant pay.
Public procurement rules require competitive ticket bidding and financial regulation oversight for all international travel, procedures which watchdog groups now say they intend to investigate.
The Official Line
In a press statement issued August 15, the Office of the Presidential Press Secretary defended the trip, saying it is “focused on advancing Liberia’s development agenda, promoting foreign partnerships, and seeking investment opportunities.”
It also assured the public that the President will return immediately following the conclusion of engagements.
While away, Justice Minister Cllr. Natu Oswald Tweh, Sr. will chair the Cabinet in consultation with Vice President Jeremiah Koung.
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
The backlash has been swift.
On social media, hashtags like #TooManyDelegates and #BoakaiPlaybook are trending.
Some critics are already calling the trip “Boakai’s Tokyo Blunder,” suggesting it mirrors the same playbook used by Weah, whom Boakai once denounced for “lavish, unproductive globetrotting.”
Others have questioned the presence of business leaders and political allies on a government-funded trip.
“Why should the taxpayer fund the travel of individuals whose purpose and benefit to the nation remain vague?” asked Roosevelt Nyemah, a youth leader in Buchanan. “If the private sector wants exposure, let them pay their own way.”
With questions swirling over policy breaches, accountability, and ethics, pressure is mounting for the Boakai administration to clarify the full cost and justification for each delegate on the trip, and to ensure this is not the start of a troubling trend.
The Liberian people, already burdened by rising prices and unmet promises of reform, will be watching closely.
