Recently, Vice President Jeremiah Koung stood at the podium during a landmark event at the Freeport of Monrovia, a ceremony marking Liberia’s first post-war 24-hour marine operations. Flanked by officials from the National Port Authority, Liberia Maritime Authority, and APM Terminals, he did more than offer ceremonial praise. He took a bold stance.
He criticized the high charges and anti-business practices at the port, noting their devastating impact on small Liberian importers. He spoke from experience, not just as Vice President, but as a man who once navigated the burdens of private business himself. He declared that he could now speak out because he has the voice.
But with the deepest respect: Vice President Koung, you have far more than a voice. You have power.
And it is time that power is used, not just to echo the cries of the people, but to bring real, institutional reform to the systems that oppress them.
The Constitution Gives You a Mandate, Not a Microphone
The 1986 Constitution is clear. Under Article 51:
“The Vice President shall assist the President in the discharge of his functions. He shall be President of the Senate and shall preside over its deliberations, without the right to vote, except in the case of a tie.”
This is not a ceremonial mandate. It is a dual role that grants the Vice President access to both Executive decision-making and Legislative leadership. As President of the Senate, the Vice President presides over lawmaking and has the authority to influence which policies move forward, or die in committee.
This is not just voice, this is institutional leverage.
History Shows: Vice Presidents Can Lead Change
Liberia’s own history is filled with Vice Presidents who went beyond the comfort of the podium:
- Bennie Dee Warner, Vice President under William Tolbert, used his influence to shape public policy and regional diplomacy—sometimes even clashing with the President over national priorities.
- Joseph Boakai, while often understated, played a crucial role in infrastructure and rural development discussions between the Senate and Executive during Liberia’s post-war recovery under Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
- Globally, Vice Presidents like Al Gore (under Bill Clinton) helped champion environmental legislation, while Kamala Harris has cast decisive votes in a divided U.S. Senate, turning voice into policy.
Mr. Koung, you now sit in this same chair of dual potential.The Law Is on Your Side, Use It.
The port agreement between Liberia and APM Terminals is not immune to review or reform. According to Article 34(d) of the Constitution:
“All treaties, conventions, and agreements negotiated or signed on behalf of the Republic shall be submitted to the Legislature for ratification…”
These agreements, like the APM Terminals concession, are not set in stone. They are laws, and laws can be reviewed, repealed, or renegotiated. You, as President of the Senate, are in position to lead that effort.
Further, under the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA), Liberia’s Legislature has the authority to oversee and amend concessions that are proven harmful to public interest.
Your position allows you to convene public hearings, advocate for local business protections, and demand transparency from concessionaires who operate with impunity at the expense of ordinary Liberians.
Don’t Mistake Political Showmanship for Reform: To merely “speak” without initiating change is to fall into the trap of political showmanship, a performance dressed in empathy, but void of substance.
The Liberian people are not asking you to complain on their behalf. They are asking you to act.
It is not enough to acknowledge that port fees are too high. The Vice President of the Republic must now mobilize the Senate to fix what’s broken, challenge what’s unjust, and rewrite what no longer serves the people.
As Ghanaian jurist Daniel Francis Annan once noted:
“Where authority is accompanied by reluctance to act, then the constitution becomes a garment worn for ceremony, not for service.”
Mr. Vice President, you spoke with conviction at the Freeport—but the people need more than conviction. They need results.
You can:
- Propose a legislative review of the APM Terminals concession.
- Introduce or support a Port Reform Bill.
- Champion reduced tariffs and improved trade policies for small businesses.
- Call for Senate oversight hearings into port operations and concession practices.
Because when a man with constitutional power reduces himself to commentary, he does not honor the people who gave him that power. He dishonors them. Liberia Needs Leadership, Not Lamentation
You are no longer a businessman standing outside the system. You are the second most powerful elected official in the Republic. The people don’t need you to “have a voice.”
They need you to use your power.
And they are watching because Liberia has heard enough voices. Now it needs leaders.
