– Gongloe Urges, Following Boakai’s National Prayer Day Declaration
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia – Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe has urged the Liberian government to look toward a decisive shift from reliance on prayers and raw material exports to strategic governance and industrialization. In a statement, the former presidential candidate and prominent human rights lawyer highlighted Liberia’s paradoxical wealth in natural resources alongside its enduring poverty. He noted that from 1847 to 2025, Liberia has remained heavily dependent on exporting raw materials such as wood, rubber, iron ore, gold, and diamonds.
Despite 178 years of independence, he believes that this pattern has not changed, leaving the country one of the world’s poorest despite its rich natural endowments. The human rights lawyer’s comments come days after President Joseph Nyuma Boakai declared Wednesday, July 30, 2025, as National Prayer Day, which was observed as a national holiday.
According to the Executive Mansion, the declaration was in recognition of the enduring grace of God upon the nation and the unyielding spirit of the Liberian people through times of trial and triumph. “From the founding of our nation, through seasons of trial and triumph, God has remained our guide and the source of our hope,” the President stated while delivering his Independence Day message on July 26, 2025.
Now, Gongloe acknowledges Liberia’s deep religious roots, with churches and mosques widespread across towns and villages. However, he argues that while prayer and fasting are commendable, they alone cannot drive national progress. He stressed that Liberia urgently needs political will and action-oriented leadership, invoking the timeless wisdom that heaven helps those who help themselves.
He emphasized that Liberia is not poor by nature but poorly managed. The country boasts fertile agricultural land, over 40% of the Gulf of Guinea’s rainforest, vast deposits of gold and iron ore, abundant freshwater sources capable of supporting bottled water exports, and pristine beaches stretching from Cape Mount to Cape Palmas. Additionally, its mangrove swamps sustain marine life, its mountains offer eco-tourism potential, and its resilient citizens are eager for visionary leadership.
With these resources, Gongloe asserted, Liberia could become a hub for eco-marine tourism, climate finance through carbon credits, and value-added exports like processed minerals, steel, refined gold, and agro-products. Yet, the nation remains trapped in poverty because it continues exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, perpetuating a cycle of dependency.
Gongloe pointed to other African nations as models for progress. Botswana, Mauritius, Cape Verde, and Seychelles have significantly reduced corruption, while Rwanda and Burkina Faso are investing in local processing, tourism, and public service accountability. Ghana and Morocco are adding value to cocoa, cashews, phosphates, and textiles while building industrial parks to reduce unemployment. These examples, he said, prove that strong leadership, good governance, and a clear national vision can transform even small or landlocked countries.
True development, Gongloe argued, requires more than faith—it demands upholding human rights, strengthening institutions, ensuring equal protection under the law, and enforcing strict anti-corruption measures. Corruption, he insisted, must be fought with transparency, accountability, and zero tolerance at every level.
“Liberia needs a government that shifts from prayer to planning, from fasting to factories, and from sermons to strategy,” Gongloe declared. The country needs leaders who act, not just kneel; who build and empower, not just fast.” He reiterated that heaven helps those who help themselves and stressed that the time for action is now.
