MONROVIA – The Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND), in collaboration with the WE THE PEOPLE Movement and allied civil society organizations, has issued a renewed call for President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to respond decisively to Liberia’s worsening economic and governance crises. In a strongly worded release on Sunday, July 27, 2025, STAND said the President’s recent admission of the country’s hardship validates the mass public grievances expressed during the historic July 17 “Enough is Enough” protest.
The coalition emphasized that President Boakai’s acknowledgment of the economic strain faced by ordinary Liberians is a delayed but significant confirmation of the legitimacy of the demands raised by tens of thousands of protestors. They described the President’s comments as a vindication of the growing call for justice, transparency, and leadership reform.
STAND accused the Central Bank of Liberia of spreading misinformation about economic stability and stated that Boakai’s remarks have now exposed those claims as deceptive. “Ordinary Liberians have been deliberately misled,” the release asserted, underscoring the urgency for honest governance.
The statement warned that Liberians are no longer appealing for relief as a favor, but rather asserting their constitutional rights. “The people’s call is not a plea. It is a demand, because their survival, safety, and security require it,” STAND declared.
The group further cautioned the President that the era of political evasion and empty rhetoric has ended. It called on him to rise to the challenge with bold, decisive leadership, or risk a stronger national backlash. “Dismissive mockery and efforts to trivialize the July 17 protest only deepen public resistance,” STAND stated.
Referring to Boakai’s own Independence Day address, the coalition pointed to his quote, “Truth crushed to the ground shall rise again,” as an inadvertent reinforcement of their cause. They argued that the President’s own words now echo the unshakable truth behind their protest demands.
STAND called on President Boakai to break free from what it described as a “toxic echo chamber” of advisors and come to terms with the realities faced by the Liberian people. They labeled the government’s continued underestimation of citizens’ demands as a grave political miscalculation.
The group also commended Ambassador Emmett L. Dunn, the 178th Independence Day Orator, for his courageous call to “fire corrupt officials.” They said Dunn’s remarks mirror the core demands outlined in the July 17 petition, particularly the dismissal of officials accused of corruption and human rights violations.
As the 14-day ultimatum to the President nears its deadline, STAND reiterated the urgency for Boakai to implement all 13 counts outlined in the July 17 protest petition. The demands include sweeping reforms, prosecutions, audits of key institutions, and economic relief for struggling Liberians.
The petition also calls for transparency in public contracts, the reversal of tenured position violations, and protections for civil liberties. Additionally, STAND demands the lifting of unjust restrictions on commercial transport workers and an end to politically motivated terminations in public service.
STAND warned that Boakai’s failure to act will only intensify the movement for change. “Let there be no illusions, inaction will not weaken the people’s resolve. It will fuel an even more determined national campaign,” the statement read.
The coalition closed its statement by resubmitting the petition to President Boakai and reminding him that the people will not be silenced. “Enough is Enough,” they concluded. “The July 17 demands must be addressed immediately and without excuse.”
