MONROVIA — Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has made a candid admission that her administration failed to defeat corruption in Liberia, acknowledging that despite extensive institutional reforms during her 12-year presidency, the menace remains deeply entrenched and continues to confront the country today.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh

“We did not succeed,” Sirleaf said Tuesday while delivering the keynote address at a Governance Commission symposium on good governance in Monrovia. The event marks the inaugural ceremony marking October as Liberia’s Month of Good Governance, an initiative declared by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

The former president said she wished her administration had won the fight against corruption but conceded that its efforts fell short.

“I wish that I could, with all these efforts, have won the corruption fight. We did not. And we are facing the same thing today,” she said.

Sirleaf’s admission comes nearly two decades after she famously declared corruption “public enemy number one” during her inauguration in January 2006, shortly after becoming Liberia’s first post-war president and Africa’s first democratically elected female president.

She served two constitutional terms, leaving office in January 2018 after peacefully transferring power to then-President-elect George Manneh Weah.

‘Audits Were Published and Then Forgotten’

Reflecting on the shortcomings of her administration’s anti-corruption campaign, Sirleaf pointed to weak enforcement, inadequate funding for integrity institutions and the failure to prosecute individuals accused of wrongdoing.

“I have said so before, and I will say it again. Audits were published and then forgotten. Too few cases reached the courtroom, and fewer ended in conviction,” she said.

She also acknowledged that some institutions were given broad mandates without the budgetary resources required to effectively perform their functions.

Sirleaf said the experience taught her that establishing institutions and passing laws, while important, were insufficient to defeat corruption.

“Institutions are necessary, but they are not enough. Accountability without consequence will only be a report on the shelf,” she said.

According to Sirleaf, laws provide the framework for accountability, but their effectiveness depends on leaders, citizens and institutions working together to enforce them.

Reforms, But Corruption Fight Fell Short

Sirleaf defended the governance reforms undertaken during her administration, recalling that her government inherited a country emerging from years of civil war, institutional collapse and widespread public distrust.

“We inherited a nation that had been looted by the people who had lost faith in government,” she said.

She said her administration understood that sustaining peace would require rebuilding public confidence in state institutions.

Among the measures undertaken, she cited strengthening the General Auditing Commission and establishing the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.

Her administration also established the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission and reviewed concession agreements signed during the civil war, canceling some contracts it determined were not in the national interest.

Sirleaf also pointed to the National Forestry Reform Act of 2006 and the 2009 Community Rights Law, which she said strengthened legal benefits for communities.

Through the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, she said Liberia became the first African country to meet the global standard for publishing information on what companies paid and what government received from the extractive sector.

Her government also passed the Freedom of Information Act in 2010, which she described as the first such law in West Africa.

The administration also secured relief of approximately US$5 billion in Liberia’s public debt, which Sirleaf said enabled the country to meet requirements for national reconstruction.

Yet, despite those achievements and the creation or strengthening of accountability institutions, she acknowledged that corruption remained unresolved.

‘It Starts From the Very Top’

Sirleaf said the responsibility for fighting corruption ultimately begins with political leadership.

“Accountability begins at the top, the very top, or it does not begin at all,” she said.

She argued that citizens are more likely to follow what leaders do than what they say.

“It’s not enough to make laws; enforcement is cardinal,” she said.

The former president stressed that public officials must lead by example and demonstrate integrity in the exercise of their responsibilities.

“It starts from the very top,” she emphasized.

She also called for Liberia’s integrity institutions to receive the full budgetary allocations required under the law, while challenging those institutions themselves to uphold the standards they are mandated to enforce.

Judiciary Must Enforce Its Decisions

Sirleaf also called for greater respect for the judiciary and implementation of court decisions, while warning against treating the courts as the sole solution to Liberia’s governance problems.

“The judiciary and our courts, yes, must be respected, and decisions rendered must be fully implemented,” she said.

But she added that the judiciary itself must be properly staffed with competent and highly principled officials capable of making decisions in accordance with the law.

“Waiting for the courts, waiting for the Supreme Court to take the lead to resolve the problem is not going to help us on this matter,” she said.

‘Exclusion Breeds Resentment’

Beyond corruption, Sirleaf used the symposium to place Liberia’s governance crisis within the broader context of the country’s history.

She recounted Liberia’s establishment by the American Colonization Society for the resettlement of freed Black people from the United States and the declaration of independence in 1847.

She noted that Liberia and Ethiopia were the only African countries to maintain their sovereignty during the period of European colonial expansion and the Scramble for Africa.

But Sirleaf said Liberia’s history was also marked by the exclusion of the indigenous majority from political and economic power.

She argued that the prolonged exclusion created resentment that eventually contributed to the 1980 military coup and the civil wars that followed.

“For more than a century, our Republic was governed and taught the school of loyalty, affirming the axiom that a government that answers only to a few will sooner or later serve only a few,” she said.

“This is what happened. Exclusion breeds resentment. Resentment bred the problems of 1980. And then 14 years of civil war that reportedly took 250,000 lives.”

She said the country’s years of militarism and civil war also destroyed infrastructure, weakened institutions and damaged Liberia’s democratic culture.

Accountability Is Not a Foreign Concept

Sirleaf rejected the notion that accountability and good governance are foreign concepts imposed on Liberia.

“Let us also be clear that accountability is not a foreign idea brought to us from outside,” she said.

She invoked the traditional Palava Hut system, where chiefs who abuse their authority can be challenged by elders and members of the community.

“Leadership is trust and can be withdrawn,” she said, stressing that public authority must be accompanied by responsibility and accountability.

For Liberia, she said, good governance should be viewed as a restoration of balance between government and citizens.

‘Freedom of Information Law Belongs to You’

Sirleaf urged Liberians to take greater responsibility for demanding accountability from their leaders and institutions.

She called on citizens to understand and use the country’s laws, particularly the Freedom of Information Act, as a tool for demanding transparency.

“To the citizens of Liberia, our Freedom of Information Law belongs to you as a democracy,” she said.

She also had a direct message for journalists.

“To our journalists, keep asking the hard questions,” Sirleaf said.

Analysts say her remarks at the Governance Commission symposium offered one of the clearest assessments of the limitations of her administration’s anti-corruption campaign, while placing responsibility for confronting the problem on Liberia’s current and future leaders, institutions and citizens.

Recognizing Sirleaf’s ‘Enduring’ Legacy

The event was convened by the Governance Commission in Monrovia and brought together government officials, diplomats, development partners, civil society leaders, media executives and governance stakeholders.

Alaric K. Tokpa, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, described Sirleaf’s participation as particularly significant because she was the first chairperson of the Governance Reform Commission, the institution from which the current Governance Commission evolved.

Tokpa praised Sirleaf’s political career and her role as Africa’s first democratically elected woman president, saying her journey from imprisonment to the Executive Mansion had helped challenge longstanding assumptions about women’s capacity to lead.

He also credited the establishment of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development with extending her influence beyond her presidency.

“Your leadership example and great legacy” should continue to inspire women and young people across Africa, Tokpa said in welcoming the former president.

He said the Governance Commission considered Sirleaf’s presence at the inaugural Good Governance Month event especially meaningful because of her historical connection to the commission and Liberia’s governance reform process.

Tokpa urged Liberians and Liberia’s international partners to embrace good governance as a requirement for national renewal, peace, stability and socioeconomic development.

He identified transparency and accountability, effective government, public participation and inclusion, the rule of law, justice, equity and decentralization of power as essential pillars of good governance.

GREENVILLE, Sinoe County — New video and photographic evidence obtained by FrontPage Africa has raised questions about the conduct of officials associated with the Sinoe County Labour Commissioner’s Office, amid competing accounts over the handcuffing of a Chinese national and a separate confrontation involving the County Attorney and county officials.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh

The controversy comes as questions continue to surround an incident involving Sinoe County Attorney Cllr. Mmonbeydo Nadine Joah, who became involved in a dispute with Labour Commissioner Cleophas Nyantee Mah and County Superintendent Alexander Nah Slewion.

Mah, however, strongly denies allegations that he or members of his team have harassed, intimidated or extorted business operators.

He told FrontPage Africa that neither he nor members of his team have demanded unauthorized payments from investors or subjected them to harassment.

What the Footage Shows

Video obtained by FrontPage Africa appears to show a Chinese businessman seated on a green plastic chair with his hands handcuffed.

A man in plain clothes, holding what appears to be documents and a mobile phone, is seen speaking to the businessman and pointing in his direction.

The incident appears to have occurred inside a container-like office at what sources identified as a mining operation.

Mah acknowledged that the incident occurred but disputed accounts portraying him as responsible for the arrest and handcuffing of the Chinese national.

According to Mah, the incident occurred several months ago and was unrelated to the more recent confrontation involving the County Attorney and Superintendent.

He said he went to the location in his capacity as Labour Commissioner and that the Chinese national was arrested and handcuffed by members of the Liberia National Police who were investigating an incident.

Mah said his office subsequently imposed a fine on the company, but that the County Attorney later revoked the fine.

He also said the County Attorney subsequently accused him of abuse of office and took legal action against him.

Mah maintained that the matter was eventually dismissed by the Magisterial Court.

The County Attorney did not respond to FrontPage Africa’s request for comment on the matter.

Competing Accounts of the Mining-Site Incident

Darius Shajay Nagbeh Sr., Superintendent of Kpanyan Statutory District, disputed Mah’s account of what happened.

Nagbeh told FrontPage Africa that the incident occurred within his district at the Glorious Mining Company operation site following an incident involving the death of a miner.

According to Nagbeh, the County Attorney had established a team, led by him, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

He alleged that Mah arrived at the site accompanied by a Community Police officer and participated in the arrest and handcuffing of the Chinese national.

Nagbeh also disputed the amount of the fine, saying the Labour Commissioner imposed a hefty fine on the company. Mah’s account also referenced a fine, but the parties differ over the circumstances surrounding its imposition and subsequent revocation.

Nagbeh said the County Attorney later revoked the fine and initiated legal proceedings against Mah, accusing him of abuse of office.

Mah maintains that the arrest itself was carried out by the Liberia National Police and that his role was limited to labour enforcement.

Allegations of Extortion

Separate allegations have emerged concerning the treatment of business operators in Greenville.

Sources familiar with the situation allege that members of the Labour Commissioner’s team have visited businesses operated by members of the Fula community and demanded payments allegedly outside Liberia’s established labour and work-permit procedures.

The allegations have not been independently verified.

Mah categorically denied the claims, saying neither he nor his team has engaged in extortion or intimidation.

He said his office recently dispatched the Deputy Labour Commissioner to collect information from businesses as part of its reporting responsibilities.

According to Mah, the dispute escalated after the County Attorney allegedly ordered the Deputy Labour Commissioner arrested while he was carrying out his official duties.

Mah said he resisted the arrest of his deputy after being informed of it and was subsequently accused by the County Attorney of obstructing justice.

Dispute Over County Attorney’s Intervention

The competing accounts have now become intertwined with a separate confrontation involving the County Attorney, the Labour Commissioner and Superintendent Slewion.

Mah said the County Attorney later went to his office with police officers to arrest him and his deputy.

He said they resisted the attempted arrests and that a confrontation followed.

According to Mah, the Superintendent became involved after being called to intervene, and the situation subsequently escalated.

Slewion offered a different account.

He told FrontPage Africa that Mah complained to him that the County Attorney had gone to his office to arrest him and asked for his intervention.

The Superintendent said he invited Joah to his office because the dispute involved officials from different government institutions and he wanted to mediate.

According to Slewion, Cllr. Joah declined to participate in the proposed intervention.

He said that when he later went to the Labour Commissioner’s office, he asked Cllr. Joah to stop recording and sit down for dialogue.

Slewion said Cllr. Joah refused and accused him of obstructing justice.

He further alleged that he was assaulted during the ensuing confrontation and had to be taken away from the scene.

The Superintendent denied knowledge of claims that Cllr. Joah’s phone was seized or that she was assaulted.

He said he has sought the intervention of Senator Augustine Chea, the Minister of Justice and the Solicitor General over continued misunderstanding between him and the County Attorney but that the dispute remains unresolved.

County Attorney’s Hospitalization

Sources told FrontPage Africa that Joah was later taken to F.J. Grant Hospital following the confrontation.

There are also allegations that a man identified as Cornelius, reportedly associated with the Superintendent, struck the County Attorney during the confrontation.

Those allegations have not been independently established.

Cllr. Joah did not respond to FrontPage Africa’s requests for comment.

FrontPage Africa has gathered that the Ministry of Justice is reviewing aspects of the dispute.

Questions Over Official Conduct

The competing accounts raise broader questions about how labour and other regulatory authorities are exercising enforcement powers in Sinoe County.

Labour inspections, work-permit enforcement and related administrative actions are expected to be carried out under established laws and procedures.

The dispute also raises questions about the boundaries between the Labour Commissioner’s Office, the County Administration, the County Attorney’s Office and law-enforcement authorities when government agencies become involved in the same matter.

The growing controversy has prompted calls for an impartial investigation into the competing allegations.

A Margibi County corruption case — backed by a paper trail of prosecutors asking, three separate times, for a trial date — is raising hard questions about whether Liberia’s courts are giving the LACC’s cases a fair shot at trial, or letting them run out the clock.

By Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

MONROVIA — Picture a prosecutor who has done everything the law asks. The evidence is gathered, the witnesses are lined up, and three times over as many court terms, someone from the prosecution’s side has written to a judge, on paper, asking for a trial date. And still, no trial happens — not because anyone dropped the ball, but because the docket simply never made room. Then the defendant’s lawyers show up and ask the court to throw the whole case out, because too much time has passed.

That is not hypothetical. It is, according to court filings reviewed for this piece, roughly what has played out in a Margibi County corruption case — and it is the latest in a pattern that has some in Liberia’s anti-corruption community asking a blunter question: is the court system, whether by neglect or by design, making it structurally impossible for the LACC to actually get its cases heard?

Section 18.2 of the Criminal Procedure Law is blunt about what’s supposed to happen when a trial doesn’t start on time. “Unless good cause is shown,” it reads, “a court shall dismiss an indictment if the defendant is not tried during the next succeeding term after the finding of the indictment.” Not “may.” Shall. Once the clock runs out, dismissal is close to automatic.

Nobody serious argues with the principle behind that. A person charged with a crime shouldn’t have to live under that cloud forever while the state drags its feet. But a harder question is creeping into Liberia’s anti-corruption cases: what happens when it isn’t the state dragging its feet at all — when prosecutors keep asking for a court date, in writing, and the court is simply too busy with other matters to give them one?

 A paper trail, not just a pattern

This isn’t the first time the question has come up. In Criminal Court “C” of the First Judicial Circuit in Montserrado County, corruption cases against former NOCAL head Rustolyn Suacoco Dennis and former Bureau of State Enterprises head Arthur Massaquoi reportedly sat untouched for terms at a time while the docket was consumed by the Financial Intelligence Agency’s case against Samuel Tweh and the Finda Bondoo matter. Both cases were eventually dismissed.

What makes the Margibi case different is that it doesn’t rest on “reportedly.” It’s in the file.

The defendants — Patrick Tarnue Worzie, former head of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, along with Alieu Fofana, Joseph Wea and Jeredine Kolleh — were indicted back in the May 2025 term, in Montserrado County, on charges including economic sabotage, theft of property and tampering with public records. The case moved to the 13th Judicial Circuit in Margibi County in February 2026.

From there, the record tells a fairly clear story

– On May 11, 2026, Margibi County Attorney H. Deddeh Jomah Wilson asked the court, in a formal filing, to put the case on the docket for that term. Everyone was ready, the filing said — the witnesses, the evidence, all of it.
– Two weeks later, on May 25, the LACC’s chief prosecutor, Bobby F. W. Livingstone, wrote directly to the presiding judge with the same request.
– When that term came and went too, Livingstone tried again on August 10, this time addressing a new judge who’d since taken over the case, asking that it finally be prioritized.

Three requests. Three different points in the calendar. And on September 3, with the case still untried, the defense filed to have it dismissed — pointing to five straight terms, from May 2025 through August 2026, in which no trial ever happened.

Read those two facts side by side and the dismissal motion looks less like a case of prosecutorial neglect and more like a test of what “good cause” is supposed to mean when the neglect, if there was any, sat somewhere else.

Why “without prejudice” doesn’t make this a non-issue

It’s worth being precise here. When cases like Massaquoi’s or Dennis’ are dismissed under Section 18.2, it’s typically without prejudice — meaning the state can, in theory, refile. Section 18.3 says as much: a dismissal entered before a jury is sworn, or before evidence starts in a bench trial, doesn’t close the door on prosecution for good.

But “the door isn’t closed” is cold comfort when you consider what it actually costs to get a corruption case to the indictment stage in the first place — months of investigators pulling financial records, tracing transactions, interviewing witnesses, building a paper trail solid enough to survive a courtroom. Refiling doesn’t mean starting from a clean slate at no cost. It means doing a lot of that work over again, on an agency that’s already stretched thin.

And there’s a cost that doesn’t show up in any budget line at all: what the public makes of watching case after case vanish before a single witness testifies.

 What the Supreme Court has already said about this

Liberia’s own case law hints at how this should be handled. In Judge Ware et al. v. Republic of Liberia, the Supreme Court took up Section 18.2 and made a point that’s easy to lose in the mechanical business of counting terms: not every delay is the state’s fault. Where the delay came from legitimate court processes rather than prosecutorial foot-dragging, the Court found, it couldn’t fairly be pinned on the state.

That’s the crux of it. Section 18.2 isn’t supposed to be a stopwatch that runs blind to who caused the delay. It’s supposed to ask why the trial didn’t happen. In the Margibi case, the “why” is sitting right there in three dated letters asking, plainly, for a hearing.

The question this case actually puts to the court

None of this is a case against Section 18.2, or against defendants having a real right to a timely trial. Nobody’s arguing for indictments to hang over people indefinitely.

The argument is narrower than that: when a prosecutor has done the asking — repeatedly, formally, on the record — should the case still fall on the state’s side of the ledger? Or does that record change what “good cause” means?

Uncomfortable Backdrop

There’s a bigger, uncomfortable backdrop to all of this, too. Liberia’s courts are working through crowded dockets with limited capacity, and when a judge has to choose between a corruption trial and, say, a high-profile drug case — as reportedly happened in Margibi, where proceedings against Quita Dolo Kosso occupied the court’s attention during the relevant period — something has to give. That’s not a problem any one judge created, and it’s not one any single ruling will fix. It’s a conversation the judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, the LACC and the Legislature probably need to be having about how cases get prioritized, and what happens to the ones that lose that competition.

For now, though, the immediate question belongs to the 13th Judicial Circuit: does a prosecution that asked for a trial date three times, and never got one, still lose the case on a technicality built to punish the side that didn’t ask?

There is no evidence in the record reviewed here that any judge deliberately set out to sink these cases — congested dockets and competing priorities are a real and separate problem from bad faith, and the two shouldn’t be conflated without proof. But intent may be the wrong thing to fixate on. Whether the courts are working against the LACC on purpose or simply failing it through inertia, the effect on the ground looks the same: cases investigated for months, indictments secured, and then quietly emptied out before a single witness takes the stand. At some point, a pattern repeated enough times stops needing a motive to be a crisis.

An indictment isn’t accountability. A trial that actually happens is. And a system where prosecutors do their part and the case still disappears — dismissed, not because anyone failed to try, but because nobody made time — is a system that owes the public, and the LACC, some answers.

Monrovia — Renowned Liberian lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe has challenged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to publicly disclose his salary, raising questions about the legal basis, implementation, and transparency surrounding the President’s reported 40 percent voluntary pay reduction.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

President Boakai pledged during his campaign and upon assuming office to reduce his salary by 40 percent as part of his commitment to responsible governance and fiscal discipline. The Executive Mansion has subsequently maintained that the President is honoring that commitment.

However, the actual amount President Boakai receives monthly or annually has not been publicly disclosed, prompting Cllr. Gongloe to demand clarity on what he describes as a fundamental transparency issue.

In his latest “Question for the Weekend” commentary, titled “Mr. President, What Exactly Is Your Salary?”, Gongloe said the reported 40 percent reduction raises a basic question: 40 percent of what?

“Liberians were told that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai voluntarily reduced his salary by 40%. But 40% of what?” Gongloe asked.

He pointed to Article 60 of the Liberian Constitution, which provides that the salaries of the President and Vice President are determined by the Legislature and shall neither be increased nor diminished during the term for which they were elected.

Against that constitutional provision, Gongloe is asking the administration to explain the exact salary legally established for the President and how the announced voluntary reduction is being applied.

He posed four specific questions: What salary did the Legislature legally fix for the President? What was President Boakai’s gross annual salary when he assumed office? How much does he actually receive after the announced 40 percent voluntary reduction? How is the voluntary reduction being implemented consistently with Article 60 of the Constitution?

Gongloe also invoked Article 15(c) of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to be informed about the government and its functionaries.

He argued that disclosure of the President’s compensation should not be viewed through a partisan or personal lens, but rather as an issue of public accountability.

“This is not a personal question. It is not a partisan question. It is a transparency question,” Gongloe stated.

The lawyer stressed that the President’s compensation is ultimately financed by Liberian taxpayers and therefore, in his view, the public has a legitimate interest in knowing precisely how much the country’s chief executive is receiving.

“Mr. President, the Liberian people pay the President’s salary,” Gongloe said. “How much are they paying you?”

The call comes amid broader public debates over government spending, executive accountability and the need for greater transparency in the management of public resources.

Gongloe ran on the presidential ticket of the Liberian People’s Party in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections. He and the LPP subsequently threw their support behind then-presidential candidate Joseph Nyuma Boakai during the 2023 runoff election between Boakai and incumbent President George Manneh Weah.

Although Gongloe was offered a cabinet position in the Boakai-Koung administration, he declined the appointment. His vice-presidential running mate, Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, was later appointed Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Gongloe has, however, maintained an independent public posture toward the administration. While applauding the government for what he considers notable achievements, he has also consistently criticized policies and decisions he believes require greater transparency and accountability.

He said his latest inquiry into President Boakai’s salary should therefore not be viewed through a partisan lens, emphasizing that his concern is rooted in the broader principles of transparency, accountability and the public’s right to know.

According to Gongloe, his past political support for Boakai does not prevent him from questioning the administration when issues of public interest arise. His call for disclosure of the President’s salary, he stressed, is intended to promote openness in government and ensure that public officials remain accountable to the Liberian people.

While the Executive Mansion has maintained that President Boakai has fulfilled his pledge to cut his salary by 40 percent, the renewed challenge from Gongloe puts the spotlight on the actual monetary value of the reduction and the mechanism through which it is being implemented.

The questions now place the administration under pressure to provide a clear public accounting of the President’s legally established compensation, the amount he receives, and how the reported salary reduction squares with the constitutional provisions governing presidential remuneration.

For Gongloe, the issue is straightforward: if the public pays the President’s salary, the public should know exactly how much it is.

Monrovia — The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission has celebrated its 18th anniversary with renewed calls for stronger prevention of corruption, institutional collaboration, prosecution, and recovery of public resources lost through corruption.

By Francis G. Boayue

The anniversary celebration held over the weekend in Monrovia brought together current and former LACC officials, government representatives, civil society actors, media practitioners, and other stakeholders involved in Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts.

The LACC was established on August 28, 2008, following post-war governance reforms and recommendations for the creation of an independent institution to lead Liberia’s fight against corruption.

Speaking during the ceremony, LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe, who delivered a presentation titled “18 Years of the LACC — A Journey in Numbers,” said the Commission’s progress over the past 18 years has been marked by institutional growth, legal reforms, and increased public awareness.

She stressed, however, that the fight against corruption cannot be won by the Commission alone.

“This is not an easy fight, and it’s not something that LACC can do alone,” Zoe said, urging citizens to report corruption and help create awareness in communities beyond the Commission’s reach.

“Your role is to report. Your role is to create additional awareness in areas that we cannot reach,” she added.

Zoe said the Commission’s 2022 amended and restated Act represents a major milestone, as it granted the LACC direct prosecutorial powers.

Previously, the Commission was required to forward investigative reports to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution, with the Ministry given 90 days to act on cases. According to Zoe, the arrangement contributed to delays and sometimes weakened the prospects of successful prosecution.

She said the Commission is now exercising its prosecutorial authority but needs a specialized court to efficiently adjudicate corruption cases.

Zoe welcomed ongoing efforts toward the establishment of a specialized anti-corruption court, saying it would facilitate speedy trials and ultimately strengthen efforts to recover stolen public assets.

“When this court is established, what it does is that it will create a speedy trial, and then it should ultimately lead to recovery,” she said.

She said the Commission’s focus must increasingly shift toward recovering public resources in existing cases while strengthening prevention to stop new cases of corruption.

Zoe also called for increased budgetary support, stressing that the Commission remains understaffed and under-resourced relative to the scale of Liberia’s corruption challenges.

She said the LACC has grown from a small institution with a skeleton staff to its current structure but still lacks sufficient personnel, particularly prosecutors, to effectively execute its mandate.

The Executive Chairperson said increased funding is critical to implementing the Commission’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, which focuses on prevention, enforcement, partnerships, and institutional strengthening.

She also called for greater institutional independence and sustained support from government and development partners.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Hon. Samuel A. Stevquoah said Liberia’s next phase of the anti-corruption fight must prioritize prevention, institutional cooperation, and consequences.

“We cannot investigate our way out of corruption,” Stevquoah said, warning that investigations often come after public resources have already been lost.

He called for stronger procurement systems, internal controls, audits, asset declaration and verification, digital financial systems, and other mechanisms designed to make corruption more difficult to commit.

The Minister also urged closer collaboration among integrity institutions, including the General Auditing Commission, Internal Audit Agency, Ministry of Justice, Financial Intelligence Agency, Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, and Liberia Revenue Authority.

“Too often in government we see institutions that operate in silos,” he said, calling for improved information sharing and more efficient movement of cases from audit and investigation through prosecution and adjudication.

Stevquoah said accountability must be both firm and fair, with due process respected.

“At 18, the LACC is no longer a young institution,” he said. “You’ve matured.”

He urged the Commission to be “fearless” while remaining fair, independent, collaborative, and aggressive in protecting public resources while respecting due process.

For his part, former LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. James N. Verdier reflected on the Commission’s early struggles, urging current officials to remain resilient in the face of political pressure, criticism, and public skepticism.

Verdier, who served as Executive Chairperson from 2013 to 2019, clarified that Cllr. Frances Johnson-Morris was the Commission’s first chairperson.

He recalled that during his tenure, the LACC faced significant limitations under the law, particularly regarding prosecution and enforcement.

He said the Commission pushed the boundaries of its existing legal authority, including making arrests in corruption investigations, while advocating for stronger legislation.

Verdier also emphasized the importance of professional training for investigators and greater investment in forensic investigative capabilities.

He further stressed that asset declaration must be accompanied by verification.

“The crux of the asset declaration is the verification,” Verdier said, calling for adequate resources to determine whether assets declared by public officials are accurate.

In remarks, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia President Lawrence Yealue said the fight against corruption must begin in homes and communities by teaching children honesty, integrity, and accountability.

“The fight against corruption starts here in our homes,” Yealue said.

He argued that prevention should receive greater attention than prosecution, while urging the media to highlight honest public servants instead of giving excessive attention to individuals accused of corruption.

“There are more good people in this country than bad people,” Yealue said, calling for greater recognition of public servants who demonstrate integrity.

As the LACC enters its 19th year, its leadership says the institution’s next chapter will focus on strengthening prevention, enforcement, prosecution, and recovery while rebuilding public confidence.

“We don’t need to be making excuses anymore. The public has our attention. Now is the time to build their trust,” Zoe said.

Monrovia – As Liberia marked its 179th Independence Anniversary with celebrations across the country and among Liberians in the diaspora, renowned human rights and constitutional lawyer Tiawan Saye Gongloe used the occasion to deliver a powerful moral and political message, declaring that the country’s greatest challenge is not a lack of natural resources but a “poverty of good leadership.”

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh

While the official national celebration was held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, under the leadership of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, churches, mosques, and civic organizations also hosted commemorative programs reflecting on Liberia’s journey as Africa’s first independent Black republic.

One such event took place at the Restoration Baptist Church in Monrovia, where Gongloe delivered a lecture titled “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself: The Church’s Prophetic Voice for Ethical Leadership and National Renewal.” Drawing from biblical teachings, he challenged Liberians to confront corruption, drug trafficking, poor governance, and moral decline through ethical leadership rooted in Christian values.

“Government Is a Place to Serve, Not to Steal”

Addressing worshippers during the church’s Independence Day observance, Gongloe argued that public service is a sacred responsibility rather than an opportunity for personal enrichment.

“I have often summarized this truth in one sentence: Government is a place to serve, not to steal,” Gongloe declared, emphasizing that leaders are called to protect the vulnerable, uphold justice, and ensure national resources benefit all Liberians.

Using the biblical account of Jesus feeding the multitude, he said genuine leadership is measured by service rather than privilege or power.

“Leadership is not about privilege; it is about responsibility. It is not about status; it is about stewardship,” he said.

Corruption Is Both Crime and Sin

Gongloe described corruption as more than a legal offense, insisting it represents a direct violation of Christ’s commandment to love one’s neighbor.

“Corruption is not merely a crime against the state. It is a grave sin against God because it violates His command to love our neighbors as ourselves,” he told the congregation.

According to him, every dollar stolen from public coffers translates into schools left unbuilt, hospitals left unequipped, roads left unfinished, and opportunities denied to ordinary Liberians.

“Corruption always has victims, and those victims are our neighbors,” he warned.

Drug Crisis Linked to Corruption

Referencing Liberia’s recent record cocaine seizures, Gongloe cautioned that the country’s growing narcotics problem is rooted in corruption and moral decay.

“The recent seizure of a large shipment of cocaine reminds us that Liberia is not immune from this global evil,” he said.

He warned that drug trafficking destroys families, undermines communities, and robs young people of their future, stressing that combating the crisis requires not only law enforcement but also churches, parents, educators, and communities.

“When corruption opens the door, narcotic drugs enter; when narcotic drugs enter, hope leaves many homes,” Gongloe said.

Leadership Determines National Success

In one of the strongest political observations of his address, Gongloe argued that Liberia’s underdevelopment stems primarily from failed leadership rather than a shortage of natural wealth.

He cited countries such as Botswana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles, and Cabo Verde as examples of African nations that have achieved greater development through accountable governance and stronger institutions.

“There is no office in a presidential system more powerful than the office of the President,” Gongloe said. “Even with strong laws and institutions, if a president lacks the political will to follow the law and do what is right for the majority of the people, a nation suffers.”

He added that Liberia continues to suffer because successive leaders have failed to demonstrate that political will.

Invoking a familiar Liberian proverb, he remarked: “A fish starts getting rotten from the head.”

According to Gongloe, Liberians naturally emulate their leaders, making integrity at the highest level of government essential for national transformation.

“Liberia is not a naturally poor country,” he asserted. “It has been and is suffering from the poverty of good leadership.”

Natural Wealth Must Benefit All

Gongloe also challenged the management of Liberia’s abundant natural resources, arguing that concessions and public assets should be administered transparently and in the interest of present and future generations.

Comparing resource management to Jesus’ distribution of bread after feeding the multitude, he said God’s blessings were never intended to be monopolized by a privileged few.

“Our natural resources belong to the people,” he stressed. “Leaders are stewards, not owners.”

A Challenge to the Church

Gongloe urged the Church to maintain its prophetic role by speaking against injustice rather than remaining silent in the face of corruption and moral failure.

“The Church is not called to seek political power, nor to remain silent in the presence of moral failure,” he said. “It is called to proclaim Christ, defend truth, strengthen families, shape character, encourage honesty, and remind every generation that the love of God must be demonstrated by love of neighbor.”

Appeal to Liberia’s Youth

Turning to young Liberians, Gongloe encouraged them to reject corruption and embrace integrity despite societal pressures.

“Choose character over comfort, conviction over convenience, honesty over dishonesty, selflessness over selfishness, and a good name over great riches,” he urged.

He expressed confidence that a generation committed to ethical values could build a Liberia worthy of celebration.

Congregational Pledge

At the conclusion of his lecture, Gongloe invited the congregation to stand and publicly pledge to reject corruption and serve their fellow citizens.

The congregation affirmed their belief that corruption is a sin against God, pledged to live honestly, and repeated Gongloe’s declaration:

“Government is a place to serve, not to steal.”

He ended the Independence Day program with a prayer asking God to deliver Liberia from corruption, greed, violence, and narcotic drugs while blessing the nation with leaders of wisdom, integrity, and compassion

Summary:          

• Victims and anti-trafficking advocates are urging Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. to rescind this month’s appointment of Bestman Juah  to a key government post after he was accused of paying bribes to protect traffickers found guilty this month in the country’s largest human trafficking case.
• Victims alleged Juah offered a US$7,000 bribe to a prosecutor to reduce and remove charges and was being paid $500 a week to protect traffickers; Juah denies wrongdoing. Prosecutors say the accusations are under investigation.
• Advocates warn the Chief Justice’s appointment of Juah could further undermine confidence in Liberia’s justice system.

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives 

Victims of Liberia’s largest human trafficking case and anti-human trafficking advocates say they were “shocked and disappointed” by Supreme Court Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. appointment of a lawyer whom numerous victims have accused of “being on the payroll” to protect human traffickers in the country.

In a memorandum issued on July 1, Chief Justice Gbeisay Sr. appointed Bestman Juah, to head the Public Defenders Association of Liberia, a government-backed program that provides legal representation to defendants who cannot afford to pay. In his new role, Juah will oversee the program assigning public defenders to represent indigent clients in civil and criminal cases.

“The people that won the case they now elevate them?” asked P., one of the victims whose identity FrontPage Africa/New Narratives is withholding because of fears of retaliation, speaking in Liberian English. “I am very, very disappointed in him. I feeling bad.”

The case, with 57 victims, ended this month with the conviction of all 11 defendants. The jury took just 23 minutes to reach the verdict. Eight received 50-year prison sentences—the longest ever imposed in a Liberian human trafficking case—while the remaining three were sentenced to 20 years, with half of each sentence suspended. The traffickers were ordered to pay a combined total of US$131,500—US$120,000 in restitution to the victims and US$11,500 in fines.

The case only made it to trial after FrontPage Africa/New Narratives exposed the victims’ allegations and the fact that the charges had been reduced or dropped all together in some cases. A delay in prosecuting the case had meant the accused traffickers had become eligible for bail.

Numerous victims in the case alleged in police statements and in interviews with FrontPage Africa/New Narratives that Juah had offered a US$7000 bribe to a prosecutor while the case was before the Paynesville Magisterial Court in September 2025, to reduce or drop the charges. Though the prosecutor is alleged to have refused the bribe, the charges were reduced and removed when the charge sheet was released. This caused suspicion to then fall on Enoch Dunbar, the head of the anti-trafficking unit at the Liberian National Police, who was in charge of writing up the charges.

Victims said the traffickers repeatedly claimed they enjoyed protection from influential officials. According to nine victims, their captors boasted that police were “in the business,” that government officials were “in their pocket,” and that the case would never make it to trial because they paid Juah US$500 a week to protect them.

The bribery claims were not litigated during the trial, but in an interview with FrontPage Africa/New Narratives at the start of the trial in June, Sumo C. Kutu Akoi, one of the

 government’s lead prosecutors, said the state had opened an investigation.

Juah and Dunbah denied any wrongdoing when New Narratives approached them after the initial investigation. Juah did not respond to a subsequent request for comment on the investigation or on calls for his appointment to be rescinded.

The Supreme Court is not the only body to have ignored the accusations against Juah. In May, two months after the allegations were published in March, Juah was tasked with training county lawyers and court officials on how to run sexual and gender-based violence cases by the UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA, under the EU-funded spotlight initiative. Chief Justice Gbeisay was also in attendance at the event held in Ganta, Nimba County. Juah has also continued in his role as president of the Public Defenders Association.

Victims and anti-trafficking advocates argued that promoting Juah risks further eroding public confidence in Liberia’s dysfunctional justice system and sends a troubling message to survivors seeking justice.

In response to questions sent by WhatsApp Ceasar Slapeh, director of communications for the judiciary said the justice Gbeisay was unaware of the probe, saying if it was being conducted by the prosecutor’s office, under the direction of the justice ministry, the courts or the judiciary                                                                       would not normally be informed of that investigation.

“The Ministry of Justice is under the executive branch,” said Slapeh in a WhatsApp message. “Whatever investigation that is ongoing or done, as long as the matter is not before any of our courts, we absolutely have no interference or don’t even need to be aware. So, Cllr. Juah’s allegation above could also serve same.”

Even though Akoi had acknowledged that it was the government’s role to investigate allegations of state bribery that had potentially perverted a major criminal case, Slapeh encouraged those making allegations against Juah now to undertake private legal action themselves in order to pursue justice. 

“Under this Chief Justice, I can assure you that, the judiciary is becoming more trustworthy and as long as the matter is before our courts, justice will be served,” he said. “They all just need to be patient to have their case on the docket.”

The allegations have angered survivors, who said they nearly prevented one of Liberia’s most significant trafficking prosecutions from ever reaching court.

“Da something to make me happy?” asked P.T. “Not good news there for me. The man was taking pay. That our money they was using to pay the man. It’s no lie.”

M., another survivor, also called on the Chief Justice to reconsider the appointment.

“The elevation of Bestman [Juah] is something that comes as a disappointment to me,” he said. “Juah is one of the persons the people involved in this dubious act always boasted with his name. They always said they were paying him to defend them.”

When he took office as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court nearly a year ago, Gbeisay pledged zero tolerance for corruption within the judiciary. He followed that pledge with a series of reforms, including installing CCTV cameras at all major court facilities, creating hotlines for the public to report corruption and erecting anti-corruption signs in judicial buildings.

Slapeh said the installation of CCTV cameras in courts and the creation of a nationwide monitoring and evaluation team showed that Gbeisay “will not bend on corrupt practices” and were part of “an action plan to demonstrate transparency in the judiciary.”

M. urged Gbeisay to live up to that pledge by suspending Juah’s appointment pending the outcome of the prosecutor’s investigation which M. said would find Juah guilty. “He shouldn’t give him the job.”

Anti-human trafficking advocates have taken up the victims’ demands for accountability saying the appointment sends the wrong signal at a time when Liberia is seeking to strengthen its fight to protect Liberia’s poorest from the growing scammer industry.

“We have to look at the concern of the citizens because the Chief Justice is working in the interest of the citizens,” said Zokerseh B. Saye, executive director of the Liberia Anti-Trafficking Scam and Victim Support Initiative, a press conference held at their Sinkor office recently. “We are talking about an individual who has always been in the habit of preventing justice for vulnerable people.”

“Given the critical role of the Public Defense Program in representing vulnerable Liberians, these concerns deserve an independent and transparent review to protect the integrity of our justice system.”

Saye said his organization had formally written Chief Justice Gbeisay asking him to reconsider the appointment. In a separate interview, Saye said his organization had documented complaints from human trafficking survivors stranded in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and other countries who had accused Juah of working with the traffickers.”They are willing to come to testify against him,” Saye said. “There are a lot of victims that we have access to that this guy caused not to get justice. It will serve as a serious threat to our operations and the fight against trafficking in the country.”

The controversy comes as public confidence in Liberia’s judiciary remains fragile. The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, the Liberian chapter of the global transparency organization Transparency International, said in its 2025 State of Corruption report that confidence in the Judiciary had fallen sharply from 33 percent in 2024 to 16 percent in 2025. It described “a confidence gap concentrated specifically in the Judiciary,” one of the institutions responsible for investigating, trying and punishing corruption. It also found that court services remain among the public services most widely perceived to be affected by corruption, reflecting what it called “an enduring public perception that corruption cuts across the most essential areas of daily civic life.”

It also comes as the country awaits the latest Trafficking in Persons report from the US State Department. Liberia has spent two years on the “tier 2 watchlist” meaning it could face a cut in US aid if it does not improve this year.

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia project. Funding was provided by the Swedish International Cooperation Development Agency. The funder had no say in the story’s content.

Monrovia – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has begun a preliminary review of allegations surrounding the controversial Mano River Union (MRU) Center for Regional Peace and Development Project in Foya, Lofa County, following a formal complaint from the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC).

By Willie N. Tokpah, willien.tokpah@frontpageafricaonline.com

In a letter dated June 5, 2026, LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe informed ANC Chairman Cllr. Lafayette O. Gould that the Commission had received the complaint and would assess the information submitted to determine whether a full investigation is warranted.

The Commission’s response comes amid growing public scrutiny over the project’s ownership, financing, authorization, procurement process, and overall cost.

“The LACC will undertake a preliminary assessment of the information provided to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to warrant further inquiry or a formal investigation under applicable laws and regulations,” Zoe stated.

.“The LACC will undertake a preliminary assessment of the information provided to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to warrant further inquiry or a formal investigation under applicable laws and regulations,” the Commission stated.

The anti-corruption body emphasized that all allegations and requests for investigations are treated seriously and handled in accordance with its statutory mandate and established procedures.

According to the Commission, citizen and stakeholder participation remains critical to promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity in the management of public resources.

“The Commission wishes to emphasize that all matters brought before it are handled independently, impartially, and in accordance with due process,” the letter noted. “Any action taken by the Commission will be guided solely by the facts, evidence, and legal standards governing its operations.”

While acknowledging the ANC’s complaint, the LACC stopped short of announcing a formal investigation, indicating that a review of the allegations and supporting information will first be conducted.

The MRU Center for Regional Peace and Development Project has attracted public attention amid questions surrounding its implementation and the use of resources allocated for the initiative.

The ANC’s petition, submitted on May 25, argues that the project has been shrouded in secrecy from its inception and characterized by conflicting explanations from government officials, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

Questions Surrounding the Project

The MRU Center for Regional Peace and Development first drew public attention in September 2024 after Naymote-Liberia Executive Director Eddie Jarwolo published aerial photographs of a large construction project in Foya. The development, reportedly costing more than US$10 million, was allegedly being constructed by MUSNS Groups Incorporated, a company linked to businessman Joe Gene Mulbah.

At the time, no official information had been provided regarding the project’s funding source, procurement process, or legislative approval.

Government explanations that followed appeared inconsistent. Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando initially claimed the project was funded by the Mano River Union, but later said he could not independently verify that assertion.

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai subsequently defended the initiative, describing it as a legitimate regional peacebuilding project intended to host international meetings and support conflict-resolution efforts within the sub-region.

The President, however, also stated that the project began without his knowledge and that those involved deliberately withheld information from him because they feared he would oppose the initiative if it appeared linked to his hometown of Foya.

That explanation generated additional questions from critics and civil society actors, who argued that a project of such magnitude should have clear authorization, oversight, and public disclosure.

Allegations of Financial and Procurement Irregularities

The ANC alleges that financing for the project may have come from contributions by several state-owned enterprises, including the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), the National Port Authority (NPA), the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).

According to the party, the arrangement may have allowed substantial public resources to be committed outside the normal budgetary and legislative oversight process.

The ANC further contends that mandatory procurement procedures may have been bypassed and that contradictory public statements regarding the project’s ownership, purpose, funding sources, authorization, and cost have fueled public suspicion.

“Public resources under the control of SOEs may have been redirected absent transparent disclosure, legislative oversight, or independent auditing mechanisms,” the petition states.

ANC Seeks Full Investigation

In its submission, the ANC urged the LACC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the project’s financing, procurement, contracting arrangements, and decision-making process.

The party is also seeking identification of all officials, contractors, and intermediaries involved, a review of financial transfers connected to the project, and recommendations for criminal, civil, or administrative action if violations are uncovered.

The ANC insists that its complaint is not intended to obstruct development efforts or regional cooperation but to ensure that public projects are implemented within the bounds of the law.

“Development must always proceed within the framework of constitutional governance, fiscal transparency, procurement integrity, and the rule of law,” the party stated.

For now, the LACC says it remains committed to conducting its review professionally and without political influence. The Commission indicated that additional documents or clarifications may be requested as part of its preliminary assessment.

Whether the review ultimately leads to a formal investigation may depend on what the Commission uncovers as it continues digging for answers in one of the country’s most closely watched public projects.

Monrovia — The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Liberia Revenue Authority, and the Central Bank of Liberia have announced sweeping reforms to Liberia’s revenue collection and reconciliation systems following the release of a damning audit report by the General Auditing Commission that uncovered widespread discrepancies, unauthorized transactions, and operational weaknesses across government revenue channels. 

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

Speaking Tuesday at a joint press conference in Monrovia, officials from the three institutions—Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Ngafuan, Central Bank of Liberia Executive Governor Henry F. Saamoi, and Liberia Revenue Authority Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah—described the audit as a crucial step toward strengthening transparency, accountability, and public financial management in Liberia.

The report, titled “Compliance Audit Report on the Government of Liberia Revenue Collection and Reconciliation Processes for the Period July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2024,” revealed multiple irregularities in the handling and reconciliation of government revenues over six years.

According to the Government, concerns first emerged in late 2024 when discrepancies were detected between revenues reported in the Tax Administration System (TAS) and deposits reflected in the Government’s Consolidated Revenue Account at the Central Bank of Liberia.

Authorities said they responded immediately by requesting an independent investigation.

“On January 6, 2025, with the full endorsement of the LRA and the CBL, I formally wrote the Auditor-General requesting an independent investigation into the variances between TAS-reported revenue and actual deposits as of December 31, 2024,” the statement, read by Minister Ngafuan, noted.

Officials disclosed that the Auditor-General informed the government that the GAC was already conducting an extensive audit covering the period from 2018 to 2023, and later agreed to extend the review through 2024 to ensure a more comprehensive assessment.

The audit uncovered several alarming findings, including discrepancies between revenues recorded in Transitory Bank Accounts and the General Revenue Account, inconsistencies between TAS and the General Revenue Account, irregularities involving reversal transactions, unauthorized withdrawals from government accounts, and delays in remitting government revenues.

The report also identified gaps between the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA), the Liberia Integrated Tax Administration System (LITAS), and actual revenue deposits, exposing weaknesses in reconciliation and monitoring mechanisms.

Government officials acknowledged that the findings point to “systemic weaknesses, reconciliation gaps, and operational deficiencies” within Liberia’s revenue collection framework.

In response, the Government says it has endorsed all recommendations contained in the audit report and briefed President Joseph Boakai on the findings.

According to the joint statement, President Boakai has authorized the forwarding of the audit report to the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to determine whether the findings suggest fraud and, if so, pursue legal action against anyone found culpable.

Even before the publication of the report, authorities said corrective measures had already begun.

Among the reforms announced are revised banking agreements governing transitory accounts and revenue sweep timelines, mandatory daily sweep reports from commercial banks to improve monitoring, expanded deployment of ASYCUDA at customs and border points, and the nationwide rollout of LITAS to strengthen domestic tax administration.

The Liberia Revenue Authority has also upgraded ASYCUDA to Version 4.4 to facilitate direct electronic integration with commercial banks and the Central Bank for automated transaction-level validation and reconciliation.

Officials further disclosed that quarterly reconciliation exercises among key revenue institutions are now underway and that efforts are advancing to integrate multiple financial management systems — including LITAS, SIGTAS, ASYCUDA, IFMIS, transitory accounts, and the General Revenue Account — to enable real-time reconciliation across government revenue systems.

The Government also announced plans to engage private sector experts to help modernize and strengthen Liberia’s revenue tracking and reconciliation systems.

Among the firms being considered is John S. Morlu LLC, headed by former Auditor General John S. Morlu II.

Officials said the engagements were intentionally delayed until the audit findings became available to ensure that any technological solutions developed would directly address the vulnerabilities identified in the report.

The Government commended the GAC audit team for what it described as professionalism, courage, and diligence in undertaking a sensitive and complex audit process.

Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to full cooperation as accountability, reconciliation, and institutional reform efforts continue.

Monrovia — The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has presented to the Ministry of Local Government a comprehensive Personnel and Credential Verification Report, along with a Human Resources Digital System on Personnel Management.

In December 2025, the CSA, at the request of the Ministry of Local Government, then known as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, launched the Personnel and Credential Verification Exercise, beginning in Montserrado County.

The process resumed in February 2026, covering the remaining fourteen (14) counties and targeting all employees of the Ministry of Local Government across Liberia.

The report was presented by CSA Director-General, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., to the Minister of Local Government,  F. Sakila Nyumalin Sr.  at the Ministry of Local Government in Monrovia on Friday, May 8.

In his presentation, Dr. Joekai stated that a total of 4,724 employees, representing 100 percent of the Ministry’s workforce, were targeted during the 24-day exercise.

Of that number, the CSA Director-General disclosed that 3,325 employees, representing 70 percent, were duly verified, while 1,381 employees, constituting 29 percent, were not verified during the exercise.

“Of the total workforce of the Ministry of Local Government, civil servants constitute 1,770 (37.5%), while appointees who are being paid make up 1,555 (32.9%). We also have another category of appointees which we consider Special Case Appointees.

These are appointees who are supposed to be enrolled onto the national payroll system. They number 830, constituting 17.58%,” Dr. Joekai said during the release of the findings.

The CSA Director-General further stated that during the Personnel and Credential Verification Exercise, the Ministry’s Excuse Ledger presented 18 employees with legitimate excuses.

However, it was discovered that 3 out of every 10 employees remain unverified.

Dr. Joekai noted that, after careful review of personnel files, some employees’ records lacked employment letters, credentials, letters of recommendation from schools, communities, and religious institutions, as well as national identification cards, among other required documents.

“What that shows is a weak documentation system, and that undermines accountability and workforce planning. It needs immediate intervention,” Dr. Joekai stated.

The report also uncovered attendance anomalies and outlined a series of recommendations, including salary deductions, suspension without pay, and dismissals.

“Attendance anomalies account for 474 cases. A total of 279 employees are due to face various penalties, including salary deductions for 77 individuals, 305 persons recommended for suspension, and 92 persons recommended for dismissal.

These attendance anomalies signal a disturbing problem with productivity and efficiency, which must be addressed as per the recommendations contained in the report.”

On the issue of qualifications, the report, according to Dr. Joekai, revealed that 1,160 employees of the Ministry of Local Government have no academic or professional credentials, while 290 employees possess only a high school diploma.

Dr. Joekai stated that employees holding Bachelor’s Degrees are 156, Master’s Degree holders 12, Associate Degree holders total 63, Professional Vocational certification holders account for 86, and PhD holders account for one employee.

“Overall, over 82% of employees of the Ministry of Local Government have either no credentials or only a high school diploma, signalling a gross lack of advanced qualifications. That also means, Mr. Minister, there is still a significant gap, and you have to pay attention to that,” the CSA boss was quoted as saying.

Dr. Joekai recommended the urgent need for a robust, intentional, and aggressive education and capacity development program for employees.

The report also highlighted significant underrepresentation of women at the Ministry of Local Government under the Gender Disaggregation Analysis.

“What did we find? For civil servants, there are 1,238 males constituting 69.94% and 532 females constituting 30.06%. For appointees on the payroll, we have 1,396 males amounting to 89.83%, while female appointees number 159, constituting 10.17%,” Dr. Joekai stated during the report presentation.

Under the Employees Placement and Alignment category of the report, based on qualifications and job roles, 1,444 employees were found to be rightly placed, while 257 employees were discovered to be underqualified for their job roles.

“There are about 55 people who are overqualified for their current positions and 14 people who are misplaced.

The implication is that 18.42% of the workforce at the Ministry of Local Government needs serious and immediate human resource intervention. There is a need for reclassification, redeployment, and targeted training or capacity development.”

On retirement and workforce sustainability, the CSA Director-General stated that employees below the age of 50 are 936, employees within the pre-retirement age range between 50–59 are 411, and those within retirement age total 406 employees.

The report also found that 17 employees at the Ministry of Local Government did not have dates of birth (D.O.B.) on file.

In conclusion, Dr.  made a series of recommendations contained in the report, including:

i. Immediate blocking of the 1,381 unverified employees from the payroll pending verification by the Civil Service Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government. Those who fail to appear for verification will be deleted from the payroll after 30 days in accordance with the CSA Policy Manual.

ii. Suspension without pay for one month for the 305 employees involved in attendance anomalies.

iii. Salary deductions for 77 employees who missed working days.

iv. Dismissal of 92 employees.

v. Transition of 406 employees into retirement.

vi. Reclassification, redeployment, and reassignment based on qualifications.

Dr. Joekai thanked and appreciated the Ministry of Local Government, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for initiating the Credential and Payroll Verification process, describing it as a giant step toward public sector reform and enhanced productivity.

According to him, the process aligns with the mandate of the CSA, which includes providing a comprehensive and transformative blueprint for strengthening human resource management across all 109 spending entities of government.

Receiving the report, the Minister of Local Government,  Nyumalin  lauded the Civil Service Agency for producing a comprehensive report that will help guide future policy decisions at the Ministry.

The presentation of the report and the Human Resources Digital System was attended by scores of employees of the Ministry of Local Government, representatives from UNDP, the Ministry of Education, and the Governance Commission, all of whom praised the CSA for conducting a comprehensive exercise.