Monrovia – Alexander Cummings has entered the national conversation on President Joseph Boakai’s controversial use of private jets, saying the debate should focus less on the mode of transport and more on government performance.

By Selma Lomax [email protected]

Cummings, political leader of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), made the comments Thursday in a statement following President Boakai’s BBC interview in which the Liberian leader defended his use of private aircraft, citing efficiency and time management.

Drawing on his own experience in corporate leadership, Cummings said private air travel can be justified in certain contexts.

“As someone who’s worked at a very senior level before and therefore flew and managed a fleet of private jets, I understand the value of time — especially for someone in charge of running a country,” he stated.

Cummings noted that while commercial flights are suitable for short regional trips like Monrovia to Accra or Abidjan, destinations with long and complex transits such as Abuja or New York may necessitate private flights due to time constraints and logistical inefficiencies.

“Spending 10+ hours in airport lounges, dealing with long layovers and unreliable connections, doesn’t make sense when that time could be better spent doing the actual work of governing—whether in Liberia or abroad,” he added.

However, Cummings cautioned that the perception of luxury at a time when many Liberians are facing economic hardship could undermine public trust.

“Liberia is still hurting. People are suffering. And when the average person can’t afford a decent meal or basic healthcare, seeing leaders fly private can feel like a slap in the face,” he said.

He suggested that under better national conditions, the government might even consider acquiring its own aircraft for official use and leasing it commercially when idle. “If the country was in a strong place, it might even make sense to invest in a government-owned plane,” he said.

Cummings added by urging the public to focus on outcomes rather than appearances. “At the end of the day, what matters most isn’t the flight—it’s the results. If the President is focused on delivering real progress for the Liberian people, then how he gets to the next meeting becomes a lot less important,” he said.