By Pewu Y. Sumo
MONROVIA – Prominent human rights lawyer and former presidential candidate, Cllr. Tiawon Saye Gongloe, has issued a sharp rebuke of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s approach to governance, specifically targeting the President’s recent decision to publicly warn officials during last week’s cabinet meeting.
In a podcast shared on his official Facebook handle on Monday, March 9, 2026, Cllr. Gongloe described the President’s “warning shots” as a domestic strategy better suited for parenting than for presiding over a sovereign nation.
“Fire Them”
Gongloe, widely known as the “Sweeping Broom Man,” argued that the Presidency should not operate like a household where children are given multiple chances to correct bad behavior.
“The action by the President to warn officials is more domestic—like for your children at home—and not one meant to be used on officials who serve at his will and pleasure,” Gongloe stated.
The learned counselor emphasized that government officials are professionals who understand the terms of their employment. He urged the President to prioritize the country’s progress over personal sentiments or prolonged warnings.
Lack of Specificity
During the recent cabinet meeting, President Boakai warned that several officials were underperforming and risked dismissal. However, Cllr. Gongloe has taken issue with this “domestic approach.”
The human rights lawyer believes that the President’s blanket statement—claiming his cabinet ministers are not working—tends to cast a shadow of suspicion over all officials, as the President failed to specify which individuals were failing.
Gongloe argued that some officials are indeed performing their duties, and such general statements could demotivate them. “If they are not working, fire them,” he said, adding that “threatening to fire underperforming officials is more domestic, like talking to your children who live with you.”
“They Don’t Deserve Notice”
Gongloe further asserted that in the public sector, there is no requirement for a “warning period” before dismissal.
“They don’t deserve notice. Nobody deserves notice in government; they serve at his [the President’s] will and pleasure. The fact that some of them are not performing and he is keeping them means he is pleased with them, which is slowing down Liberia’s development,” Gongloe stated bluntly.
Cllr. Gongloe remains one of Liberia’s most vocal advocates. His consistent stance against poor governance continues to resonate with citizens who admire his “no-nonsense” approach to public service.
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