Min. Piah Defends Roads, Jabs Predecessors-Information Minister Touts Visible Infrastructure Push

Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah’s spirited defense of Liberia’s ongoing road works underscores a growing political narrative in the Boakai administration: measurable delivery over professional pedigree. Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s regular briefing, Piah touted visible infrastructure progress while criticizing past performance at the Ministry of Public Works, arguing that administrative effectiveness outweighs academic titles. His remarks highlight a broader contest in Liberian governance between credentials and competence, as infrastructure projects become the administration’s most visible test. With road conditions, anti-corruption prosecutions, agricultural partnerships, and security concerns converging in one briefing, the debate over performance will ultimately be judged by durability, transparency, and national impact. THE ANALYST reports.

Liberia’s Minister of Information, Jerolinmek Matthew Piah, has mounted a robust defense of the government’s ongoing infrastructure campaign, highlighting visible road works across Monrovia and other parts of the country while taking a pointed swipe at the former leadership of the Ministry of Public Works under the administration of former President George Manneh Weah.

Addressing journalists during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Minister Piah said the government’s “aggressive infrastructure initiative” is already yielding results, with construction and rehabilitation works underway on several major corridors in the capital and beyond. He insisted that the administration remains focused on delivering projects that improve connectivity, expand economic opportunity, and restore public confidence in government’s capacity to deliver essential services.

Responding to criticisms directed at the current leadership of the Ministry of Public Works, Piah argued that administrative competence and measurable performance must be the true standard for evaluating public officials.

He observed that although the previous Public Works Minister was trained as an engineer, several key road corridors remained in poor condition during the past six years, including sections of the Southeast corridor that were reportedly so impassable that senior officials relied on helicopter transport.

“People celebrate credentials, and they are important,” Piah told reporters, “but what matters most is what you can deliver. You can have a PhD in engineering, and someone with a bachelor’s degree could outperform you if given the opportunity.”

He emphasized that heads of public institutions serve primarily as administrators, noting that technical expertise exists within departments such as the Deputy Minister for Technical Services at Public Works, which is designed to provide engineering leadership.

Piah further maintained that the President retains constitutional authority to appoint officials he believes can advance national goals and does not require public petitions to determine ministerial appointments, adding that confirmation authority rests with the Legislature.

In a remark that drew attention, he said that if “misplacement” results in visible productivity, then the President should continue placing capable people across government.

Providing updates on infrastructure, Piah disclosed that following ratification of a concession agreement by the National Legislature, a private construction firm has begun mobilization for the Western Corridor road project, which stretches from the St. Paul Bridge toward key junctions in western Monrovia. He said operational sites are being prepared and that a groundbreaking ceremony will soon signal the start of full-scale work. Road projects, he added, will continue as long as environmental conditions allow.

The Minister also announced ongoing installation of streetlights along the Roberts International Airport Highway, explaining that gaps are being filled, poles erected, and lighting installations scheduled to enhance security, improve nighttime travel, and extend commercial activity in the capital.

On security matters, Piah read a statement from the Ministry of Justice disassociating the Government of Liberia from a group calling itself the “National Food Security of Liberia,” which authorities say has no authorization to operate as a security entity.

The Justice Ministry ordered an immediate halt to recruitment and mobilization activities linked to the group and warned that unauthorized paramilitary formations could attract criminal and administrative sanctions. Relevant agencies have been instructed to investigate the matter.

Addressing corruption concerns, Piah acknowledged public impatience but stressed that accountability must follow legal procedures. He cited the recent conviction of two former officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services, who were sentenced by Criminal Court C to five years imprisonment after being found guilty in a case prosecuted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission involving approximately US$1.795 million in unaccounted funds. The court also ordered restitution of US$97,000.

“When people are accused of wrongdoing, they must be charged, indicted, and allowed to go through the court process,” Piah said. “There can be no arbitrariness.”

He further announced an agricultural mission in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development aimed at expanding farmer opportunities, improving feeder roads, strengthening climate-resilience programs, establishing a national propagation garden for Liberia’s coffee sector, and scaling rice production to support food security.

He also disclosed that the International Monetary Fund has introduced training and capacity-building programs for Liberia Revenue Authority staff, including econometric software tools and specialized instruction in macroeconomic policy, fiscal management, and digital transformation.

Piah said the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is preparing a coordination meeting with development partners to align gender equity and child-protection programs with national priorities, while confirming that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has returned from the African Union Summit, where discussions focused on sustainable water and sanitation systems under Agenda 2063 and broader reforms to the United Nations system.

Minister Piah’s remarks reflect a broader political narrative within the administration, one that emphasizes visible results and rapid service delivery.

Yet the debate over credentials versus competence is likely to continue as projects mature and the public measures the durability, quality, and nationwide reach of Liberia’s current infrastructure push.