01/09/2025
STEVE, SAMUKAI NAMED AS POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS FOR LATE MINISTER GRIGSBY.
Minister Steve Quah, who currently serves as Minister of State without Portfolio for Special Services, is being widely considered. Quah has been a close ally of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. since before his vice presidency.
He also worked closely under the late Minister Grigsby, gaining years of experience within the Executive Mansion. According to sources inside the presidency, Quah is being strongly positioned as a frontrunner for the role.
Brownie Samukai: Former Defense Minister Returns to Spotlight
Another name gaining attention is Brownie J. Samukai, a former Defense Minister under ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and one-time senatorial candidate. Samukai’s prior cabinet-level experience makes him a serious contender for the post.
Decision Still Pending
While both names are under consideration, it remains unclear who President Boakai will officially appoint as the new Minister of State for Presidential Affairs.
Remembering Sylvester M. Grigsby
The late Sylvester M. Grigsby, born October 15, 1950, in Sinoe County, passed away on August 9, 2025, after a period of illness. He was laid to rest on Saturday in Houston, Texas, in a solemn ceremony attended by family, friends, and officials of the Government of Liberia.
Delivering a tribute on behalf of President Boakai, his son Joseph Boakai, Jr. highlighted the six-decade-long friendship between the president and the late minister.
“Although I was two years his senior, Sylvester was a distinct character and a man of high intellect,” President Boakai reflected. “He came from a well-off family, yet he remained humble, grounded, and respectful.
He was an outstanding student, but what I admired most was his empathy and willingness to help others.”
Grigsby’s passing has left a major gap in the Boakai administration, and the decision on his successor is now being closely watched across Liberia.