MONROVIA — The appointment of Samuel A. Stevquoah as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs comes at a important second within the administration of President Joseph Boakai, Sr.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
It follows the unlucky passing of Syvester M. Grigsby, a seasoned statesman who had been a key participant within the Boakai-led Govt. This transition isn’t just a change in personnel however a recalibration of management on the very coronary heart of the Presidency.
As Liberia continues to navigate complicated governance challenges and nationwide growth priorities, the selection of who manages the nerve middle of the Govt Mansion has wide-ranging implications.
Stevquoah steps into this function with a portfolio of expertise that implies not solely preparedness however deep familiarity with the inside workings of high-level governance.
At its core, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs capabilities because the chief administrator of the Workplace of the President. The place is considered one of immense duty and affect. It entails coordinating the day-to-day operations of the Presidency, managing presidential schedules and engagements, advising the President on coverage points, and guaranteeing that authorities selections are communicated and carried out successfully throughout ministries and businesses.
The Minister is the gatekeeper to the Presidency and, in some ways, the executor of the President’s agenda. The workplace calls for not solely political loyalty but additionally administrative effectivity, strategic oversight, and a transparent sense of nationwide priorities.
The function turns into much more consequential in a authorities that’s attempting to reset public belief and rebuild governance establishments. In such a context, the Minister of State should function a bridge between the imaginative and prescient of the President and the operational equipment of presidency.
It’s a function that requires somebody with the flexibility to keep up inside coherence amongst various ministries and businesses whereas guaranteeing that the general public perceives the federal government as responsive and efficient. The Minister should additionally handle the President’s interactions with each home and worldwide companions and symbolize the Presidency at main diplomatic and intergovernmental engagements when wanted.
In naming Stevquoah to this place, President Boakai has chosen somebody with whom he has a long-standing skilled relationship, relationship again to Boakai’s tenure as Vice President.
Stevquoah served as Chief of Workplace Employees within the Workplace of the Vice President from 2006 to 2017. Throughout that twelve-year interval, he constructed a repute for self-discipline, quiet effectiveness, and strategic pondering.
He was instrumental in coordinating employees operations, managing communications, and supporting coverage initiatives, notably within the areas of agriculture and youth growth. His intimate understanding of the political temperament and dealing fashion of President Boakai positions him as somebody who can align the equipment of the Presidency with the President’s management strategy.
Stevquoah’s monitor document means that he brings a mix of public service ethos and personal sector effectivity to the function. After his tenure within the Vice President’s Workplace, he transitioned into the non-public sector from 2018 to 2024, taking over key management roles in a multinational publicly traded firm. There, he managed Company Companies, Authorities Affairs, and Neighborhood Relations.
He additionally performed a pivotal function in main the corporate’s COVID-19 pandemic response, demonstrating his disaster administration capabilities and strategic decision-making underneath stress. This expertise provides a layer of administrative sophistication to his profile and underscores his potential to navigate each bureaucratic programs and dynamic real-world challenges.
At the moment, as Minister of State with out Portfolio for Particular Companies, Stevquoah has been instantly concerned in choose presidential tasks and high-level nationwide initiatives. His present function has him advising the President on key issues, coordinating interagency collaboration, and managing delicate authorities communications.
These duties are an extension of the very capabilities he’ll oversee in a extra expansive approach as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs. In impact, Stevquoah will not be getting into unfamiliar territory. He’s merely advancing to a broader stage of duty inside a system he already is aware of.
Stevquoah’s profession additionally features a basis in journalism. He started as a broadcast journalist at ELWA and later on the Liberia Broadcasting System, the place he rose to the place of Information Director and finally served as Assistant Director Basic for Information and Public Affairs.
This background in media has undoubtedly sharpened his communication expertise and his understanding of the facility of public notion in governance. His potential to speak the objectives and priorities of the Boakai administration might be important in an period the place transparency and public engagement are central to democratic management.
Academically, Stevquoah holds a Grasp of Arts in Administration from Framingham State Faculty in Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the United Methodist College, the place he graduated with the best honors.
His academic background enhances his sensible expertise and displays a lifelong dedication to public service and management growth.
As he assumes the brand new function pending Senate affirmation, Stevquoah inherits a set of duties which can be essential not solely to the effectiveness of President Boakai’s administration but additionally to the broader stability and credibility of the Liberian authorities.
President Boakai, in his official communication to Stevquoah, underscored the expectations for integrity, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to the Republic. The President’s emphasis on these values means that this appointment is greater than a reward for loyalty. It’s a strategic choice geared toward consolidating the Presidency’s capability to ship on its guarantees to the Liberian folks.
Because the Senate prepares to evaluate his nomination, all eyes might be on how Stevquoah navigates the complexities of managing some of the highly effective and demanding places of work within the Liberian authorities. If confirmed, his success or failure won’t solely form the legacy of the Boakai presidency but additionally affect public confidence within the effectiveness of the state’s management at a time when Liberia is craving for transformation, unity, and credible governance.
