CENTAL Wants Pres. Boakai Suspends Officials yet to Declare Assets, But…

By: Sylvester Choloplay

Liberia: In a resolute push for transparency and accountability, an integrity watch institution the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is calling on President Joseph Boakai to suspend government officials who have not complied or refuse to declare their assets.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, August 2, 2024 in Monrovia, CENTAL expressed concern over the Boakai administration’s lack of action against officials failing to declare their assets, incomes, and liabilities, as required by law.

CENTAL wants government officials to follow the good examples of President Joseph Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah Koung, and few others who have declared their assets.

According to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) released recently revealed that only 322 out of 1,281 public officials have complied with the asset declaration process.

Addressing the press, CENTAL’s Executive Director Anderson Miamen emphasized the importance of this process in fostering accountability and urged President Boakai to suspend non-compliant officials.

“If the President must be seen as being impartial in dealing with corruption and other accountability issues, he has to punish his officials for violating the laws of Liberia,” CENTAL’s Executive Director Anderson Miamen stated.

The organization also called on the judiciary and legislature to comply with asset declaration laws, noting troubling reports of limited compliance within these branches.

Meanwhile, CENTAL has at the same time called on former President George M. Weah and his administration’s officials to cooperate with ongoing corruption investigations.

CENTAL said it has welcomed the LACC’s indictment of former officials, including former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. and former Director General of the Financial Intelligence Agency Stanley Ford, for alleged corruption involving significant sum of money.

It also states that there is no witch-hunt in the ongoing investigation and both former and current officials of government should submit to the GAC and LACC’s audits.

CENTAL wants individuals to present themselves before the law to clear their names if innocent.

However, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has mentioned, in a recent commissioning ceremony, that “only witches are being hunted and that his administration owes no apologies to anyone”.

Additionally, CENTAL has further expressed disappointment over former President Weah’s attempt to dismiss allegations against his former officials during a recent press conference.

Former President George Weah, in a recent press conference in Monrovia, called on partisans including CDC/former government officials to resist any witch-hunt by the Boakai-Koung Administration.

But in a press conference Anderson Miamen said “We would think that former President Weah, who professes to be an ardent supporter of the fight against corruption, would encourage those indicted to present themselves before the law to be exonerated”.

Mr. Miamen also called for impartiality in the Boakai administration’s anti-corruption efforts, emphasizing that the fight against corruption should not target specific individuals or protect certain groups.

He highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach that does not allow for “sacred cows” or the protection of regime elements.

CENTAL finally urged the Boakai-led government to investigate and prosecute several former officials sanctioned by the U.S. government for significant public sector corruption.

The individuals in question include Senator Nathaniel McGill of Margibi County, Senator Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba County, Senator Emmanuel Nuquaye of Margibi County, former Grand Cape Mount County Senator Cllr. Varney Sherman, Senator Albert Chie of Grand Kru County, Jefferson T. Koijee, the former Mayor of Monrovia, Andrew Wonplue, former director of passports at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Cllr. Cyrenus Cephus, former Solicitor General of the Republic of Liberia.

CENTAL emphasized the importance of allowing these officials to defend themselves in a court of competent jurisdiction and called for the LACC to engage with the U.S. government to seek evidence against the accused.

Additionally, CENTAL recommended conducting audits of their stewardship as a starting point to uncover any allegedly corrupt activities.

It concluded by asking the Liberian public to support the LACC, General Auditing Commission (GAC), and other entities leading anti-corruption and accountability efforts in the country.