Liberian President Joseph Boakai is facing competing pressure from alleged drug-linked officials, government actors seeking a credible investigation and Unity Party figures worried about the political cost of the narcotics-trafficking scandal, former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah said.
Tweah said the dispute centers on whether the government should pursue an independent investigation or retain a process controlled by state institutions. The decision could affect Liberia’s international standing and the Unity Party’s prospects in the 2029 elections, he said.
According to Tweah, officials allegedly connected to a narcotics cartel oppose an independent inquiry because it could expose senior members of the government to prosecution and reinforce claims that Boakai’s administration has become a “narco government.”
Unity Party stalwarts are also resisting an independent investigation, Tweah said, arguing that the process should include former officials of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change. Such a strategy could shift political blame, but it risks producing an investigation driven by partisan interests rather than evidence, he said.
The Wear-era official said Boakai appears to recognize that a government-led or compromised investigation could ultimately damage the Unity Party more than an impartial inquiry.
Public confidence in the administration has already been weakened by the disappearance of a ship off Liberia’s coast and the government’s handling of the incident, he said.
The controversy comes as Boakai’s government confronts mounting scrutiny over drug trafficking and its response to allegations involving public officials and national security actors.
Tweah urged the president to resist political pressure and support an independent investigation acceptable to Liberians, opposition parties and international partners.
He also called on the international community to press Liberia to ensure a credible process, saying Boakai should “be the president for a generation and not a president for an election.”
- Oracle News Daily
