MONROVIA – The Boakai administration has taken a decisive step toward overhauling Liberia’s troubled forestry sector, with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai calling for accuracy, accountability, and reform during the opening of the National Forest Forum 2025. The event, held on Monday, November 3, at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, brought together cabinet members, foreign diplomats, international partners, civil society groups, and private sector representatives. The President’s statement was delivered by Dr. Augustine Konneh, Senior Advisor to the President.
In his address, President Boakai described the forum as an “important space for reflection, dialogue, and collective commitment” toward protecting Liberia’s forest resources, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Upper Guinea Forest. He said that despite decades of support and attention, the forestry sector has consistently fallen short in delivering on its social, economic, and environmental promises to the Liberian people.
“We have seen repeated promises, fragmented interventions, and cycles of underperformance,” the President stated, criticizing persistent weaknesses in the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), inconsistent law enforcement, and the growing wave of illegal activities and encroachments that threaten biodiversity and natural assets. His remarks signaled a clear shift toward stronger enforcement and a renewed emphasis on sustainability.
President Boakai underscored that under his leadership, the forest sector will be anchored in integrity, scientific data, and community benefit. “The forest must once again become a pillar of Liberia’s sustainable growth, contributing meaningfully to job creation, climate resilience, and environmental stability,” he said, framing forests as both a national heritage and an engine of economic opportunity.
One of the most notable moments of the speech came when President Boakai ordered the FDA to provide, within one week, a detailed explanation of discrepancies in the country’s forest data. He pointed out that the 2004 National Forest Inventory reported Liberia’s forest cover at 4.3 million hectares, while recent reports now place it at 6.6 million hectares, a baffling difference of more than 2.3 million hectares. “Where are these new forest areas located and what accounts for such a dramatic change?” he asked, calling for clarity grounded in science rather than assumption.
“This is not a trivial matter,” the President warned. “Accurate data is the foundation for sound policymaking, credible forest management, and effective international engagement.” He emphasized that transparency is essential if Liberia is to rebuild trust with both its citizens and international partners involved in forest conservation and climate financing.
President Boakai’s directive reflects his broader ARREST Agenda for Accelerated and Inclusive Development, which prioritizes responsible natural resource management. He called on the forum’s participants to engage in candid and results-oriented dialogue that will shape a more resilient and accountable forestry sector. The message was a firm departure from past practices that allowed inaccuracies, weak regulatory oversight, and missed economic opportunities to persist.
Dr. Augustine Konneh delivered the President’s statement with what observers described as clarity and firmness, reinforcing the administration’s promise that the “era of vague figures, weak enforcement, and lost opportunities” in the forestry sector is over. His delivery underscored the urgency of the President’s call for data credibility and institutional discipline within the FDA and other forest-related agencies.
The National Forest Forum 2025, organized by the Forestry Development Authority, drew broad participation under a theme centered on transparency and sustainable forest management. The gathering served as a timely platform to support the President’s insistence on truth, accountability, and sound governance as Liberia confronts longstanding challenges in its forestry sector.
President Boakai closed his message with a hopeful but resolute tone. “May God bless our forests, may God bless all those who protect them, and may God bless the Republic of Liberia,” he declared, sending a clear message that the administration is prepared to confront the sector’s entrenched problems and chart a new path forward for the country’s forest resources.
