By By: Alphanso G. Kalama
Monrovia, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has reshuffled key positions across his government while simultaneously suspending a senior official for misconduct, in a sweeping accountability move that signals both fresh leadership and a firm warning to public servants across the country.
In appointments announced Friday, September 11, 2026, from the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, the President named Cllr. Oswald Natu Tweh as Acting Minister of National Defense, with outgoing Minister Geraldine J. George to be reassigned. At the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Stephen Marka Yekeson, Jr. takes over as Acting Minister, while outgoing Minister Magdalene E. Dagoseh is also to be reassigned.
In local government, Honorable Christopher Ben Bailey has been appointed Acting Superintendent of Grand Gedeh County. At the National Food Assistance Agency (NFAA), Mr. Mike Khailelu B. Jabateh assumes the role of Acting Deputy Director General for Publicity. Meanwhile, Mr. Daniel Frank Gould, II has been nominated as a Member of the Board of Commissioners at the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate.
But in a striking demonstration of his administration’s disciplinary stance, President Boakai also announced the immediate suspension of Mr. Frederick S. Cooper, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, for a period of sixty days without pay. The suspension, according to the Executive Mansion, is for acts incompatible with his status as a public official.
In his communication to Deputy Minister Cooper, President Boakai emphasized the critical importance of discipline, integrity, and responsible conduct in public service. He cautioned all appointed officials to conduct themselves—both in discharging their duties and otherwise—in a manner that reflects the standards and values of his Administration. The President reiterated that public office is a position of trust and that officials will be held accountable for conduct that undermines the integrity of the Government or brings public service into disrepute.
The dual announcement—fresh appointments alongside a high-profile suspension—reinforces the President’s stated commitment to accountability as a cornerstone of his administration. By acting decisively against a senior official while simultaneously injecting new leadership into key ministries and agencies, the Executive Mansion has sent an unmistakable message: performance and probity are non-negotiable.
