Sylvester Grigsby, Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Here are facts about Sylvester Grigsby, Liberia’s Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chief of Staff

Abubakar Hashim /Monrovia

Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai has a formidable policy and economic management team. Sylvester Grigsby, is the Presidential keeper of the seal, a strong ally to President Boakai.

His resume is intimidating. His work experience and all-round brilliance are enviable. He attained a Master’s degree from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, in 1979, after bagging a BSc in Chemistry in 1973 from the Cuttington University in Liberia.

Grigsby has held several high-profile positions in the Liberian Government, and prominent entities in USA, France and Japan. This makes his wealth of experience in policy governance quite rewarding.

Before becoming President Boakai’s Presidential Affairs Minister and Chief of Staff, he was the Executive Director, of the Joseph Boakai Foundation, between 2019 to 2022.

Sylvester Grigsby shaking hands with Abubakar Hashim, West Africa Bureau Chief of TheNEWS at the President’s office, Mansion, Monrovia.

He was a Minister of State for Economic Matters in the office of the President and the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Grigsby is well-grounded in Public Policy Administration. The volume of correspondence through his office for the President’s attention is enormous. This makes him a close confidant to the President, an indispensable working ally.

President Boakai’s interview with The NEWS magazine was organized by his office. I saw, first-hand, while waiting in his office for a scheduled interview with President Boakai, the volumes of workloads, the streams of official engagements and the long retinue of official visitors to meet and engage the President, been successfully being handled by him and his official staff.

Grigsby is a workaholic, always dangling on his toes to keep President Boakai’s diary of events intact and fully accomplished. He works with the President till late at night in the Mansion (State House). He is the focal person and the gatekeeper to the President.

His warmth and friendliness are unparalleled. He exudes charisma, even under pressure. He is a man of extensive, enlightened and extemporaneous discussion on issues of national and international interest.

But there is another side to Grigsby. He frowns at interjections on work ethics, rules and procedures. Those who work closely with him say he detests cutting corners in achieving designated goals. Others say he has patience for details in achieving official objectives. While some call him Mr precision.

I recall, with excitement, when I sent him a WhatsApp message for his resume for a write-up on him to be published.  It took him so long to respond to my request. I initially thought he was not interested. But later on, he sent me his resume. I was amazed, as I had given up. It dawned on me then, that Grigsby, is a man of details and hard looks. He is a man not jump until he sees where he is landing! He wanted to know the expected objectives and benefits of my request before making a firm decision.

In his office, on the 4th floor of the Mansion, the traffic is thick, peopled with men and women to see the President. He is qualified for his job, a loyal,dependable, experienced and long-time ally to President Boakai, making him a ‘’right hand’’ man of the President.