NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – President Joseph Boakai has removed two of the most senior women serving in his Cabinet, replacing them with men, a move that is likely to intensify scrutiny over gender representation in his administration.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The changes affect the Ministries of National Defense and Commerce & Industry, where Geraldine J. George and Magdalene E. Dagoseh have been relieved of their ministerial responsibilities and are expected to be reassigned according to the Executive Mansion.
President Boakai has named Cllr. Oswald Natu Tweh as Acting Minister of National Defense and Stephen Marka Yekeson, Jr. as Acting Minister of Commerce & Industry. The appointments were announced Friday, September 11, 2026, by the Executive Mansion.
While the President’s statement does not provide reasons for the reassignment of either minister, the decision effectively removes two women from top-level ministerial leadership while placing men in their positions, at least on an acting basis.
Gender balance under renewed scrutiny
The development comes against the backdrop of a broader debate over the number of women occupying senior positions in the Boakai administration. With the latest changes, the administration has fewer women represented at the highest ministerial level than it previously did.
The issue is likely to attract attention because President Boakai came to power pledging an inclusive government and has repeatedly spoken about empowering women and ensuring broader participation in national leadership.
The removal of George and Dagoseh therefore creates a politically sensitive question: is the administration’s commitment to increasing women’s representation in government being matched by the composition of its most powerful decision-making positions?
The change is not, by itself, evidence that the administration is deliberately reducing women’s participation, particularly because the President has not publicly stated that gender was a factor in the decisions.
However, the immediate consequence is clear, the two women leaving these prominent portfolios are being replaced by men, further narrowing women’s presence within the Cabinet.
President stresses discipline and accountability
In a separate decision announced alongside the appointments, President Boakai suspended Frederick S. Cooper, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, for 60 days without pay.
The President said the suspension was based on acts he considers incompatible with Cooper’s status as a public official. In his communication, President Boakai stressed the importance of discipline, integrity and responsible conduct in public service.
He warned appointed officials that they are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the standards and values of his administration, emphasizing that public office is a position of trust.
The President further cautioned that officials would be held accountable for conduct that undermines the integrity of government or brings the public service into disrepute.
Other appointments
The President also appointed Christopher Ben Bailey as Acting Superintendent of Grand Gedeh County, while Mike Khailelu B. Jabateh was named Acting Deputy Director General for Publicity at the National Food Assistance Agency.
At the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, Daniel Frank Gould, II, was appointed to the Board of Commissioners, subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate.
The latest appointments amount to more than a routine government reshuffle. They place new political and administrative figures in key positions while simultaneously removing two women from highly visible ministerial posts.
As the Boakai administration moves forward, the composition of its Cabinet—and particularly the shrinking number of women at the highest level of government—could become an increasingly important measure against which its promises of inclusive governance are judged.
