By Socrates Smythe Saywon | Smart News Liberia
LIBERIA – The launch of the National Cadet Program on Friday, May 15, 2026, in Gbarnga, Bong County, has triggered both optimism and political debate, with Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan presenting the initiative as a transformative opportunity for young Liberians, while political commentator and 2029 presidential hopeful Matthew Nyanplu criticized the program as politically motivated.
The National Cadet Program, launched under the Ministry of Youth and Sports headed by Minister Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah, aims to place more than 1,000 university graduates and graduating seniors in government institutions and selected private entities for six months of professional training and practical experience. The initiative forms part of the Unity Party administration’s youth empowerment strategy under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
However, after the launch ceremony, Nyanplu dismissed the initiative in a social media reaction, accusing the government of exploiting the desperation of unemployed young people for political advantage. “National Cadet Program, good initiative without a transformative vision, politicized by Unity Party’s Augustine Ngafuan and Cornelia to prey on our young people’s desperation. #disgrace,” Nyanplu wrote.
Critics and supporters of the government debated whether the cadet initiative represents genuine empowerment or political image-building ahead of future elections. Nyanplu’s criticism also reflects political differences surrounding programs targeting Liberia’s struggling youth population amid high unemployment and economic hardship.
However, at the launch, Ngafuan used the ceremony to passionately defend the Joseph Nyuma Boakai administration’s development agenda, arguing that the government is making measurable progress despite persistent attacks from political detractors. Delivering an emotionally charged and lengthy address, the Finance Minister framed the cadet program as part of a broader national effort to prepare young Liberians for meaningful participation in the workforce and national development.
Ngafuan drew heavily from his personal experience as a student intern at the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company in 1988, explaining how an internship opportunity during his time at Booker Washington Institute shaped his professional journey and contributed to his later success in public service and international development work. According to him, the National Cadet Program seeks to provide similar opportunities for today’s generation of young Liberians.
“This program is about giving hope to more than 1,000 young people,” Ngafuan declared. He argued that practical workplace exposure remains one of the biggest missing links between university education and employment opportunities in Liberia. He urged institutions hosting cadets to absorb high-performing participants after the six-month training period.
The Finance Minister also used the occasion to strongly counter narratives suggesting that Liberia is deteriorating under the Unity Party-led government. Repeatedly referencing unnamed “detractors,” Ngafuan insisted that the country is moving forward through infrastructure development, civil service reforms, youth-centered projects, and improved international credibility.
According to Ngafuan, the government has significantly increased domestic revenue generation, expanded the national budget from US$738 million to US$1.3 billion, improved salary structures for public sector workers, and initiated major road and educational infrastructure projects across the country. He further pointed to Liberia’s election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as evidence of improved international respect and confidence in the country.
“We are not still at Redlight,” Ngafuan declared in one of the most politically symbolic moments of his speech, using the analogy of a journey from Redlight to Gbarnga to describe Liberia’s development trajectory. “We may not have reached Gbarnga yet, but we are near Totota,” he said, emphasizing that progress should be measured incrementally rather than through unrealistic expectations.
Ngafuan additionally highlighted several youth-focused initiatives being undertaken by the Boakai administration, including the US$18 million Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank project expected to support 30,000 youth-led businesses and generate over 100,000 jobs. He also referenced Liberia’s successful effort to secure the relocation of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Center to Monrovia, which he said would create additional opportunities for Liberian youth.
Throughout his address, the Finance Minister repeatedly stressed discipline, humility, integrity, and professionalism as key values for the cadets entering the workforce. He warned young graduates against arrogance and overconfidence, cautioning that academic success alone does not automatically guarantee workplace excellence. Quoting from a speech he delivered in 2013, Ngafuan reminded cadets that “being an honor roll student in university does not automatically transform someone into an honor roll professional in the workplace.”
He encouraged the cadets to become agents of positive change wherever they are assigned, urging them to spread “light where there is darkness,” discipline where there is indiscipline, and integrity where corruption and dishonesty exist. His remarks appeared designed not only to motivate the cadets but also to reinforce the administration’s message of national renewal and institutional reform.
