Liberia: UP Supporter Urges Boakai to Hold Town Halls, Says Presidency Risks Losing Touch With Ordinary Liberians - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia, Liberia — A staunch supporter of the ruling Unity Party–led government has openly appealed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to begin holding regular direct public engagements, warning that the presidency risks becoming isolated from the everyday realities facing ordinary Liberians.

In an open letter dated December 1, 2025, and written from New Georgia Township, Monrovia, Jonathan Paye-Layleh called on the President to institutionalize town hall meetings and mass public forums as his administration approaches its third year in office.

Paye-Layleh argued that such engagements—whether in city halls, stadiums, or other public spaces—are essential for the President to hear directly from citizens rather than relying solely on aides and intermediaries.

To underscore his point, he quoted the late Gyude Bryant, former head of Liberia’s National Transitional Government, who once cautioned that the presidency can be isolating.

“One thing I have learnt in the presidency is that, in many ways, it isolates the president from the public and the real people,” Bryant was quoted as saying. “The president doesn’t get to know or hear what people are actually thinking or saying out there.”

According to the letter, Bryant further warned that officials who often have access to the President may either pursue personal interests or fail to accurately convey the true state of public sentiment.

“As a result,” Bryant said, “you sit here thinking all is well out there when, in reality, many things are not fine and need to be fixed.”

Paye-Layleh urged President Boakai to create platforms where citizens from all walks of life—market women, students, persons with disabilities, drivers, nurses, teachers, farmers, sanitation workers, roadside sellers, and the unemployed—can freely express their concerns.

“These are people who would never get the opportunity to speak to you if such forums were not organized,” he wrote.

While acknowledging that the Boakai administration has recorded achievements within a relatively short period, Paye-Layleh noted that the challenges inherited by the government have raised public expectations, fueling frustrations and criticisms that may not be reaching the President.

He proposed that such public engagements be supported by a committee tasked with documenting citizens’ concerns and recommendations, which would then be compiled and presented to the President to better inform policy decisions.

Describing his letter as a “patriotic contribution,” Paye-Layleh reminded the President of the intense efforts made by loyal supporters to secure his election, even at a time when many doubted the viability of his presidency following the 2017 electoral defeat.

“We were optimistic and challenged the odds for a better Liberia by campaigning with all our might to give you a chance,” he wrote.

Paye-Layleh concluded by noting that the letter was being made public to ensure the message reaches the President, even if the formally submitted copy takes time to reach his desk.

The open letter adds to growing public discourse on governance, transparency, and citizen engagement as the Boakai administration moves deeper into its term.

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