MONROVIA – Maryland County Senator James Biney’s remarks on February 25, 2025, during a session of the Liberian Senate have sparked a heated response from civil society advocates and fellow politicians. Biney, who expressed frustration with President Joseph Boakai’s leadership, accused the President of lacking the will to develop the country. “This President I supported doesn’t have the spine to develop the country. I am disappointed,” Biney said, in what appeared to be a direct critique of the President’s governance.
However, the Senator’s remarks have drawn criticism, particularly from Anderson Miamen, the Executive Director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL). In a Facebook post on February 26, 2025, Miamen took to task both Biney and his colleagues in the Legislature, questioning their role in Liberia’s underperforming sectors. Miamen pointed out that, as a long-serving lawmaker, Biney was part of the system responsible for approving concession agreements and overseeing key ministries like Forestry and Mines.
“You and your Legislative colleagues are part of the problem, Senator Biney, and should be taking responsibility,” Miamen wrote. He criticized Biney for complaining about sectors like forestry and iron ore while neglecting the Legislature’s critical role in shaping these industries. Miamen called for Biney to “wake up from your sleep” and urged him and his fellow lawmakers to start holding the relevant actors accountable, stating that the Senate has the power to invite stakeholders to answer tough questions.
While Miamen’s response was sharp, others, including Karbahker Toweh, have supported Biney’s candid remarks. Toweh, in a Facebook post, echoed similar sentiments and commended the Senator for speaking out. Toweh stated, “Sen. Biney SPOKE well; just like Sen. Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. spoke a few months ago. I hope they and others like them can now ACT well.” Toweh expressed the view that individuals in positions of power, like Biney, must stop pointing fingers and begin to take action to develop Liberia, citing their long tenure in governance and leadership.
It is notable that Senator Biney is a member of the opposition National Patriotic Party (NPP), which was founded by the jailed former Liberian president Charles G. Taylor. Biney supported President Boakai and the Unity Party during the 2023 presidential elections, a stance that has remained a significant factor in his political influence.
