By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, Liberia; July 18, 2025 – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has downplayed the importance of the July 17 anti-government protest right here, suggesting that some demonstrators are pushed much less by real concern and extra by frustration over the federal government’s crackdown on unlawful drug actions.
In his first public response to the protest, President Boakai remarked: “I heard somebody say they’re protesting as a result of ‘President Boakai can lie.’ No, they’re protesting as a result of the federal government isn’t giving them an opportunity to promote medication.”
The mass protest, dubbed “We the Folks,” was organized by the Solidarity of Belief for a New Day (STAND) and supported by the previous ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), in addition to different opposition political events and civil society organizations.
The demonstration, which drew hundreds of Liberians into the streets of Monrovia on Thursday, July 17, aimed to spotlight rising financial hardship and alleged poor governance below the Boakai–Koung administration.
President Boakai voiced concern over the involvement of younger individuals in such protests, linking their participation to Liberia’s persistent battle with drug abuse.
“Allow them to protest, however in a rustic that’s 178 years outdated, our younger individuals with expertise can’t proceed on the trail of destroying themselves by means of medication. It’s the accountability of the federal government to arrange them, to coach and equip them for productiveness,” he stated.
Boakai additionally recalled a campaign-period go to to Ghana, the place he met an Indian businessman who had as soon as operated in Liberia. The businessman had since moved his operations to Ghana, constructing a college and leisure services. The President stated he has inspired the investor to return and replicate that holistic mannequin in Liberia.
We’d like colleges, enjoying pitches, and leisure facilities to assist rehabilitate and uplift our youth, Boakai added.
The July 17 protest was formally sanctioned by the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Nationwide Police, with a robust safety presence throughout the capital to take care of order.
Organizers say the protest sought to attract the eye of each the federal government and worldwide companions to the worsening socio-economic situations within the nation.
Amongst key grievances cited had been hovering costs of primary commodities, rampant corruption, stalled growth initiatives, and alleged abuse of energy by the administration.
By mid-morning on Thursday, hundreds had gathered at key areas throughout Monrovia, together with Freeport, Level 4 Junction, and Somalia Drive. The crowds grew steadily all through the day amid heavy downpours, with demonstrators waving placards, chanting slogans, and calling for presidency accountability.
On the residence of former CDC Nationwide Chairman Mulbah Morlu, who additionally serves because the lead protest organizer, mobilization efforts started early.
Chatting with reporters, Morlu acknowledged, “Sufficient is sufficient. We’re bored with hardship, lawlessness, and unfulfilled guarantees. This protest is peaceable, however it’s also resolute.”
Regardless of the administration’s makes an attempt to reduce the impression of the protest, the turnout underscored the mounting frustration amongst atypical Liberians relating to the nation’s financial course and the tempo of reform. Modifying by Jonathan Browne
