He gained energy by promising to finish corruption – however attempt to inform individuals who need him to only get jobs.
“Lots of people come to authorities believing they’re there to complement themselves,” says Liberian President Joseph Boakai.
“They don't perceive what public service is.”
Within the three months since he defeated President George Weah and took the reins, Mr Boakai says he has been “very selective” about who he brings with him as a result of he blames corruption “for all of the crises we've had”.
The 79-year-old is a former prime minister, however he doesn’t come from a political dynasty.
“I by no means actually had a childhood,” she advised BBC Africa Every day in a wide-ranging interview. “My ambition was simply to stay a traditional life.”
As one among 5 youngsters born to a disabled, poor mom and an absentee father, he continued to work as a college janitor and rubber tapper.
It was grueling work – inflicting him ache as a result of he didn't notice he was meant to hold rubber on his shoulders as an alternative of his head – but it surely gave him the grit a politician wants, he tells the BBC.
These first jobs paid for 2 pairs of good pants, two shirts and a one-way ticket to the capital metropolis of Monrovia.
After gaining a spot on the metropolis's Faculty of West Africa, he might see his mom just one week a yr, as he needed to work on the college to pay for his tuition and maintenance.
Now approaching his 80s, Mr Boakai acknowledges he’s the age of many of the voters's grandparents – however sees his position as rooting out deep-seated issues and handing over a well-run Liberia to the subsequent technology.
“I'm simply right here to steer a course of to get this nation the place it ought to be after which they’ll take it again.”
So how profitable has it been to this point?
“Liberians have heard this all earlier than — the place a head of state is available in and makes these massive, broad proclamations about the truth that they're going to make corruption public enemy primary,” says creator and activist Robtel Neajai Pailey.
Nonetheless, he provides, President Boakai declared his personal heritage as quickly as he arrived and made his appointees do the identical. Mr. Boakai additionally known as for an audit of the presidential workplace, and strengthening of integrity establishments such because the Basic Situation Fee and the Anti-Corruption Fee of Liberia.
“It is a method of signaling to the Liberian individuals that it’s going to not be enterprise as typical,” says Dr. Neajai Pailey, “and now members of the judiciary and the legislature are following go well with.”
There’s nonetheless a protracted method to go.
Liberians have misplaced persistence in recent times and staged mass demonstrations – accusing the earlier authorities of mismanagement of funds and corruption whereas the price of residing has spiraled for atypical individuals.
Greater than a fifth of the inhabitants lives on lower than $2.15 (£1.70) a day.
Final yr, when Mr. Weah was nonetheless on the helm, Liberia was ranked 145th out of 180 nations in Transparency Worldwide's Corruption Perceptions Index.
The ex-footballer's time in cost has seen numerous scandals, with three authorities officers sanctioned by the US Treasury and later resigning – they haven’t but been prosecuted.
President Boakai additionally has his critics.
A choose lately accused Mr Boakai of cronyism – claiming he favors individuals from his house space of Lofa County for prime jobs. The presidency tells the BBC that this isn’t true.
“The president doesn’t appoint based mostly on tribe – he places competence above every thing else,” says presidential press secretary Kula Fofana. Pressed to substantiate what number of officers have been appointed from the president's native Lofa, he refused to say “as a result of we don't appoint for accounts”.
“We are able to feed the world”
Along with his background on Liberia's rubber plantations and a stint within the Eighties as minister of agriculture, President Boakai sees large alternatives for progress within the county's territory.
“In Africa, we’re not going to fabricate new airplanes or new cars, however we will feed the world,” he advised BBC Africa Every day.
“We’ve water, we’ve land, we’ve land. We don't have to import the quantity of rice we import. We are able to feed ourselves if we minimize corruption and use our assets nicely – we will feed ourselves and likewise export.”
He additionally campaigned on a pledge to enhance Liberia's highway community.
“Based mostly by myself expertise, yr after yr, automobiles are caught within the mud, individuals can't transfer,” he says. “You understand the affect it has on well being, training, the motion of individuals and the costs of products.
“So what I stated is that in at the very least the primary 100 days we should always be capable to get all of the automobiles transferring on our roads… That's what I stated and that's what I'm engaged on.”
He has his work minimize out for him, he is aware of, however he nonetheless finds a while to chill out.
“I by no means have time for an excessive amount of enjoyable, however I like all types of music – jazz, African music, and I'm a sports activities lover.
“I'm an Arsenal fan – I've been to the Emirates twice and I’ve all their souvenirs!”
Extra reporting by Moses Kollie Garzeawu
