Monrovia – A FrontPage Africa investigation has uncovered inconsistencies in the academic claims made by Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs–designate, Madam Fatima Bintu Sirleaf, during her confirmation hearing before the Liberian Senate Committee on Internal Affairs and Local Government on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
During the hearing, Madam Sirleaf told senators that she holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work with emphasis in Mental Health and Substance Abuse and a Minor in Urban Development—a claim that has since stirred public debate and scrutiny over its accuracy.
Senator J. Gblehbo Brown, Co-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, questioned whether her academic background aligned with the duties of Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs, given her strong foundation in social work and mental health.
“According to your CV, you have a strong background in social work and mental health, considering the problems we have in Liberia today—drugs killing our young people, people going crazy and mad. With your expertise, do you think you are better placed or misplaced serving as Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs?” Senator Brown asked.
In response, Madam Sirleaf said her “minor in urban development” prepared her to address challenges associated with urban growth and rehabilitation.
“I believe that with urban development as my minor, it helped me change lives. I was able to help wealthy people in the United States who suffered addiction. With the way Liberia is rising, with overpopulation in cities including Monrovia, I can educate people about building rehab centers in our cities,” she stated.
University Records Contradict Claim
However, a FrontPage Africa inquiry found that Kean University, the U.S.-based institution where Madam Sirleaf reportedly obtained her Master’s Degree, does not offer any course or program titled “Urban Development” within its Social Work curriculum.
This revelation has fueled widespread discussion both in Liberia and among members of the Liberian diaspora, many of whom questioned whether the institution even provides an academic “minor” at the graduate level.
Education expert Emmanuel Wilson, a veteran school administrator based in the United States, described Madam Sirleaf’s statement as “academically inaccurate.”
“It is not academically accurate for a master’s degree student to ‘minor’ in another course,” Wilson explained. “The concept of a minor applies primarily to undergraduate studies. Graduate programs are specialized and focused on a single field. While students may choose concentrations or specializations, these do not constitute a ‘minor.’ Therefore, the claim of having a minor in a master’s program is inconsistent with standard academic structures.”
“I have followed Fatima for sometimes now. I admire her for being bold and outspoken. I think she can serve well in that capacity, but she does not have to give misleading statement about her qualifications, said Abel Thomas, a staunch supporter of the Unity Party. “We believe it is important that all public officials demonstrate transparency and accountability regarding their qualifications when called to serve.”
Sirleaf Clarifies Her Statement
When contacted for clarification, Madam Sirleaf told FrontPage Africa that while her degree is in social work, her studies included mental health, substance abuse, and urban development through internship programs.
“In my third and fourth semesters, I did mental health and substance abuse because I knew there was an issue of mental health in Liberia, and I wanted to contribute,” she said.
“As senior students, we advised developers to create low-income housing. My degree won’t show that I did mental health and substance abuse, but I specialized and did a whole year emphasizing those areas, which included wraparound services touching on urban development,” she added.
She maintained that her work and training covered aspects relevant to community development and rehabilitation, though not formally designated as a “minor.”
Sirleaf was appointed as Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs-designate on September 1 by President Joseph Boakai alongside Mr. Dedeh Harper – Assistant Minister for Administration pending confirmation.
Senate Reconsidering Misplaced Nominations
Meanwhile, FrontPage Africa has learned that the Senate Committee is reconsidering the rejection of several presidential nominees over what lawmakers describe as “misplacement” — nominees assigned to positions not aligned with their qualifications or expertise.
Among those under scrutiny is Madam Cytrius K. Kerbay, nominated to serve as a Commissioner at the Governance Commission (GC).
Lawmakers say Madam Kerbay’s background—spanning public health coordination, project management, and humanitarian response with PSI Liberia, Helping Hand Liberia, and the Liberian National Red Cross Society—is “sector-specific to health and humanitarian programming,” with limited exposure to governance reform, policy development, or institutional restructuring.
Like in Madam Sirleaf’s case, senators expressed concern that Liberia continues to face a shortage of qualified public health professionals, warning that her reassignment could undermine the health sector’s capacity.
“Her reassignment from the health sector to a governance oversight body could weaken the Ministry of Health’s implementation and training capacity, reduce mentorship and technical leadership in service delivery, and contradict ongoing efforts to strengthen the national health workforce,” one committee member said.
The Committee is expected to make its final recommendations to the Senate plenary in the coming days as confirmation hearings continue for several presidential nominees.
Support Independent Journalism
Your support helps FrontPage Africa continue delivering independent, credible, and impactful journalism. Every contribution strengthens our ability to investigate, inform, and hold power accountable while keeping quality journalism accessible to our readers.
Support our journalism or subscribe to receive the latest FrontPage Africa stories and updates.
