MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has urged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration to focus on delivering meaningful results for the Liberian people. Speaking at a press conference following the opening of the Liberian Senate’s Second Session on Monday, January 13, 2025, Dillon expressed disappointment with the administration’s performance during its first year in office and vowed a more proactive Senate in 2025.
The Unity Party-led government, under President Boakai, will mark its one-year anniversary on January 22, 2025. However, Senator Dillon, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, criticized the administration for its inefficiencies, stating that the grace period granted to the Executive in 2024 is over. “We allowed certain things to slide last year to give the government time to get its team in place, but moving forward, the Senate will adopt a more robust approach to governance,” Dillon asserted.
Reflecting on the government’s first year, Dillon noted mixed progress. While he acknowledged steps taken by the Senate, such as establishing a website, procuring employee buses, and implementing salary payments and insurance, he expressed dissatisfaction with the overall state of governance. “The glass is half-full but far from complete,” he remarked, grading the Senate’s reform efforts at 80% but withholding similar praise for the broader government.
Dillon emphasized the importance of accountability, pledging that the Senate would lead by example. “In 2025, we must hold ourselves accountable before we can demand accountability from the Executive and Judiciary. Every session must meet a quorum, and the public will be informed about legislators who fail to show up for work,” he stated.
The Senator also criticized the prolonged tenure of officials serving in acting capacities, particularly highlighting the Central Bank of Liberia’s acting Governor. He stressed that such practices undermine the Tenure Law and vowed to address these issues promptly. “This January marks the end of such irregularities. The government is fully seated, and it’s time to act decisively,” he declared.
Reflecting on 2024, Dillon described the year as a transitional period where leniency was granted to the administration to establish its team. He noted that even during moments of crisis, such as the February 2024 protests by AFL wives, key ministerial positions in Defense and Justice were vacant, leaving the country’s security sector weakened. “We tolerated these shortcomings to avoid destabilizing the government. But now, that period of indulgence has ended,” Dillon affirmed.
The Senator, a member of the Liberty Party and part of the coalition that supported Boakai’s 2023 presidential bid, pledged to ensure that the “rescue mission” championed by the administration goes beyond rhetoric. “As a rescue senator, I have a duty to ensure that the gains we envision are realized and marked by tangible progress,” he said.
Dillon’s remarks signal a shift in the Legislature’s approach to governance as it seeks to exert greater oversight and accountability over the Executive branch. He urged President Boakai to demonstrate decisive leadership, warning that continued inaction could hinder the nation’s progress.
“We granted the President a free hand in his first year to avoid unnecessary disruptions, but 2025 must be a year of action. The Liberian people deserve better, and we in the Senate will not shy away from ensuring that happens,” Dillon concluded.
