MONROVIA – The Boakai administration has made its most concrete move yet in the Roberts International Airport cocaine investigation. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has suspended Peter Malcolm King from the Board of Directors of the National Oil Company of Liberia, pending the outcome of the joint investigation. Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah announced the suspension at the Ministry of Information’s regular Tuesday briefing, alongside a categorical denial that Liberia’s diplomatic pouch system has any connection to the narcotics case. As THE ANALYST’s George C. Flomo reports, the same briefing covered a 50-megawatt energy MOU with Aflate Energy, national health insurance proposals, a new work permit framework, and road construction progress along Broad Street.
The Government of Liberia has categorically dismissed reports suggesting that the country’s diplomatic pouch system is under investigation or was utilized in connection with the recent seizure of narcotics at Roberts International Airport (RIA), describing such claims as false, misleading, and unsupported by any evidence.
Addressing the Ministry of Information’s regular Tuesday press briefing, Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah said attempts to associate Liberia’s diplomatic courier system with the ongoing cocaine investigation are irresponsible and intended to create confusion around a matter that remains under active investigation by the Joint Security Task Force and the Ministry of Justice.
According to Piah, there is currently no investigation involving Liberia’s diplomatic pouch service, nor has any evidence emerged linking the country’s diplomatic communication channels to narcotics trafficking or the transportation of illicit substances.
He explained that the diplomatic pouch system is exclusively reserved for official government correspondence, confidential diplomatic communications, and authorized documents exchanged between Liberia and its embassies, consulates, and permanent missions abroad. The minister emphasized that the system operates under strict international diplomatic protocols and does not transport unauthorized items, including liquids or controlled substances.
King Suspended from NOCAL Board
The clarification came alongside a major development in the ongoing drug investigation. Piah confirmed that President Boakai has suspended, with immediate effect, Peter Malcolm King from his position as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
According to the Information Minister, the decision followed a briefing from the Ministry of Justice and the Joint Investigative Task Force, which identified entities associated with King as requiring further investigative scrutiny.
Piah stressed that the suspension is purely administrative and intended to safeguard the integrity of the investigation, preserve public confidence in government institutions, and prevent any appearance of interference with the investigative process.
“The President remains steadfast in his commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking and strengthening accountability, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law,” the minister said.
He added that President Boakai has assured both Liberians and international partners that all persons connected to the matter will be investigated thoroughly and impartially in accordance with the laws of Liberia.
Government Defends Its Handling
The Information Minister used a significant portion of the briefing to defend the Boakai administration’s handling of drug-related cases, drawing comparisons between the current government’s response and that of the previous administration. Referencing a widely circulated public commentary, Piah argued that there are clear differences between the approaches adopted by the two administrations in confronting major narcotics cases.
He noted that unlike previous instances where the executive branch was accused of showing limited engagement, President Boakai publicly and forcefully condemned the recent drug seizure and vowed to dismantle criminal networks involved in narcotics trafficking.
The minister further highlighted that individuals linked to the current investigation have been suspended and subjected to scrutiny, while law enforcement agencies have actively pursued evidence, including obtaining surveillance footage through legal processes.
Piah maintained that the government’s objective is not merely to prosecute individual offenders but to dismantle what authorities increasingly believe may be an organized drug trafficking network attempting to use Liberia as a transit point for international narcotics operations.
“The end goal is to destroy what now appears to be an existing cartel that has taken interest in using our country as a transit point for dangerous substances,” he stated.
NPHIL Monitors Diseases Nationwide
Beyond security matters, the minister disclosed that the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) continues to maintain robust disease surveillance across all 15 counties.
Health authorities remain actively engaged in monitoring priority diseases and public health threats, including Lassa fever, Mpox, measles, rabies, and other emerging infectious diseases.
Piah assured the public that Liberia currently has no Ebola cases and that no Ebola outbreak has been recorded anywhere in the West African region.
He revealed that health authorities, working alongside the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recently conducted preparedness assessments in several counties and at major points of entry, including the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport. The exercise forms part of Liberia’s preparedness strategy in response to public health concerns emerging in parts of Eastern and Central Africa.
Aflate Energy MOU Signed
In the energy sector, Minister Piah announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Liberia and Aflate Energy, a Mali-based energy company, for the development of a 50-megawatt power plant and battery energy storage system.
The agreement, signed by Mines and Energy former Minister Wilmot Paye and representatives of the company, is expected to significantly improve access to reliable and sustainable electricity across Liberia. Government officials believe the project could contribute meaningfully to reducing Liberia’s longstanding electricity deficit and supporting economic growth.
The Information Minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Health has submitted a proposal to President Boakai aimed at establishing a National Health Insurance Scheme. The proposal includes the creation of the Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage and a Health Equity Authority of Liberia.
According to the government, the initiative seeks to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare services while reducing the financial burden often faced by citizens seeking medical treatment. The proposed legislation is expected to create a sustainable healthcare financing mechanism and protect households from catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses.
CBL, LACC Win Regional Positions
Piah further announced that two Liberian public institutions recently secured important regional and continental leadership positions. The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) was elected to leadership roles within the African Regional Technical Assistance Center for West Africa (AFRITAC West 2) and the Africa Training Institute. Meanwhile, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) was elected to represent the West African region on the Executive Committee of the Association of African Anti-Corruption Authorities (AAACA). Government officials described the developments as evidence of Liberia’s growing credibility and influence within regional and international institutions.
The Ministry of Labor has also introduced stricter requirements for companies seeking work permits for foreign nationals. Under the new directive, employers must provide proof that vacancies were publicly advertised in at least two local newspapers, two radio stations, and two Liberian websites, including the Ministry of Labor’s website, for a minimum period of 30 days.
Employers must also demonstrate that no suitably qualified Liberian citizen was available to fill the position. Labor authorities say the measure is intended to protect employment opportunities for Liberian workers and ensure compliance with the Decent Work Act.
In another development, the Ministries of Youth and Sports and Labor have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at addressing youth unemployment. The agreement seeks to improve vocational training opportunities, expand access to employment information, and create sustainable pathways to employment for young Liberians.
Officials believe the partnership will strengthen coordination between government institutions working to address one of Liberia’s most pressing socio-economic challenges.
Minister Piah also conveyed government’s condolences to the Liberian media community following the deaths of veteran journalists Anthony Selman and Molly Passaway. He described both men as distinguished professionals whose contributions significantly shaped Liberia’s media landscape and public communication sector.
According to the minister, their careers reflected decades of service to journalism, government communications, and public information dissemination.
PowerChina Road Reaches Broad Street
On infrastructure, the government reported ongoing progress on major road projects, particularly the expansion of the western corridor under the newly ratified concession agreement with PowerChina International. Piah said road expansion activities have already reached the Broad Street corridor, demonstrating the government’s determination to move beyond ceremonial groundbreaking exercises toward actual implementation.
He reiterated the administration’s commitment to delivering a modern four-lane highway connecting Monrovia to western Liberia and completing key road projects in southeastern Liberia by 2029.
“The government remains focused on delivering the development promised to the Liberian people,” Piah declared. “When Liberians look back, they will say this truly was a rescue mission.”
Minister Piah further defended the Boakai administration’s anti-drug campaign when responding to a question from The Analyst regarding the benchmarks Liberians should use over the next six to 12 months to assess whether the government is making meaningful progress in the fight against illicit drugs.
He argued that the administration’s actions thus far already demonstrate a marked departure from previous approaches, citing the level of commitment and urgency being exhibited by the current government in confronting the menace. According to the Information Minister, the fight against drug trafficking cannot be measured solely by isolated incidents but by the frequency and intensity with which authorities identify, investigate, and disrupt illicit activities.
He stressed that the government alone cannot win the battle, calling for the active participation of the media, civil society, and ordinary citizens in exposing and combating drug-related crimes across the country.
Piah acknowledged that narcotics trafficking is a complex and well-financed criminal enterprise that cannot be dismantled overnight. However, he maintained that despite the challenges associated with confronting powerful drug networks, the Boakai administration remains unwavering in its determination to pursue traffickers and dismantle the structures that enable the illegal trade.
“We do not expect this to be an easy battle,” he noted, adding that the government is committed to confronting the problem “to the fullest” and ensuring sustained pressure against those involved in the narcotics business.
The Tuesday briefing underscored the Boakai administration’s continued emphasis on anti-drug enforcement, public health preparedness, infrastructure expansion, healthcare reform, and regional engagement as central pillars of its national development agenda.