‘Defiant’ Legislature Tops LACC’s Noncompliance List for Code of Conduct

Monrovia – The Legislature of Liberia, comprising both the Senate and the House of Representatives, is being scrutinized as the first branch of government for its failure to comply with the very laws it enacted.

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By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910) – [email protected]

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The House of Senate and the House of Representatives, which are the direct representatives of the Liberian people, are responsible for making laws in the interest of the populace. One such law, endorsed by both houses, is Liberia’s Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct requires public officials and government employees involved in decisions related to contracting, tendering, procurement, and license issuance to sign performance or financial bonds and declare their income, assets, and liabilities before taking office.

However, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has revealed that the Legislature itself is violating this law by failing to declare their assets.

At a recent news conference, the LACC provided updates on the Asset Declaration regulation published on May 2, 2024, which set July 31, 2024, as the deadline for public officials to declare their assets. The primary purpose of this exercise is to ensure compliance with the National Code of Conduct and to prevent and detect illicit enrichment, conflicts of interest, and other forms of corruption.

The LACC announced that, among the 73 elected Representatives in the House of Representatives, only 26 were compliant, while 47 were non-compliant. Executive Chairperson of the LACC, Cllr. Alexandra Zoe, also mentioned that out of 56 administrative staff identified in the House of Representatives, only one was compliant.

Regarding the Senate, out of 30 elected Senators, only 12 complied with the Code of Conduct, while 18 were non-compliant. Additionally, none of the 44 identified administrative staff in the Senate complied.

Overview of the Exercise

Cllr. Zoe stated, “As per our regulations, we identified 1,900 employees and public officials required to declare their assets. Only 26.5% of public officials participated in this exercise.”

She added that the LACC, in line with the “Rule of Law” pillar of the Government of Liberia’s ARREST agenda, provided a copy of a “National Integrity Pledge” for officials declaring their assets.

In the Executive Branch, of the 1,281 appointed officials required to declare their assets, only 322 complied, while 959 were non-compliant. An additional 84 asset declarations were received from non-appointed government employees, bringing the total number of declarations from the Executive Branch to 406.

In the Judiciary, of the 333 individuals required to declare, only 28 officials, including 7 judges and 21 administrative staff, complied, while 305 were non-compliant.

Cllr. Zoe emphasized, “There are other staff members from the three branches of government who are also non-compliant in declaring their assets. Our next course of action will be to request the listing of staff from government institutions, match them against our current records, and address them like all other non-compliant officials.”

She continued, “The Asset Declaration exercise is a vital tool in our fight against corruption. It enhances public trust in our institutions by holding public officials accountable and ensuring they lead by example. Transparency in asset declarations also acts as a deterrent to corrupt practices and promotes a culture of integrity.”

The LACC Chairperson noted that she would recommend to the relevant authorities the enforcement of sanctions against non-compliant government officials. She also disclosed that asset declarations will be monitored regularly to ensure ongoing compliance for new appointments and changes in positions.