MONROVIA – Nominees appointed to positions at the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) will have to wait for the return of the Senate next year to determine whether they will secure their positions. The confirmation of these nominees is intertwined with the outcome of the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for October 10, 2023.
By Henry Karmo, [email protected]
Some senators have expressed concerns about the President’s decision to nominate candidates to tenure positions with the elections only a few months away. They believe that confirming the nominees before the election poses a risk and have urged for a delay until after the election results are determined.
In addition to the timing debate, certain senators, including Darius Dillon of Montserrado County and Johnathan BoyeCharles-Sogboie of River-Gee County, have accused the President of violating Section 6.8 of the LACC act. This section explicitly prohibits having two commissioners from the same county. Furthermore, the nominees have been accused of violating the LACC’s regulations, which mandate that their asset declarations be published before their confirmation.
Senator Dillon, the lead campaigner against the confirmation, stated, “Today we are supposed to adjourn the 54th legislature; we have issues with the LACC confirmation, and we think the law we passed as an institution should be respected. The new LACC act says they should be the new repository of asset declaration, and they will punish people for under-declaring. But before that, the LACC commissioners should declare their assets, and we haven’t seen that from the nominees. Also, Section 6.12 of the new LACC act says no two commissioners should come from the same county. What we observed is that we have commissioners who are from the same county. It is utterly wrong to knowingly confirm these nominees to an institution that should ensure integrity in the country.”
The Liberian Senate has adjourned for its second constituency break of the 6th Session and will reconvene after the Presidential and General Elections. During the adjournment on Monday, July 31, 2023, the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate mentioned that the vetting process for the nominated LACC Commissioners is still ongoing, with critical issues concerning their counties of origin.
Pro-Tempore Chie highlighted that several nominees have been confirmed by the Plenary of the Liberian Senate, including those for positions at the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), The Governance Commission, the National Fisheries and Aqua Culture Authority, and the Board of Tex Appeal, among others.
Additionally, Pro-Tempore Chie revealed that the draft revised Public Health Law is currently at the Committee level. The Senate and House of Representatives have been unable to reach a consensus due to several unresolved issues, despite numerous public hearings and consultations.
The fate of the nominees at the LACC remains uncertain until after the elections, and their confirmation process will be subject to adherence to the LACC Act and other relevant regulations.