The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) welcomes the resignations of the three officials of the Liberian Government and call on them to declare their assets, incomes, and liabilities, as they exit government.
This is in line with part 10 of the Code of Conduct for public officials that require them to declare their assets, incomes, and liabilities while entering government, upon being promoted and upon leaving government.
Speaking at a press conference held in Monrovia yesterday, the Executive Director for CENTAL, Anderson Miamen mentioned that the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission must legally ensure that they fully comply with the provision of the Code of Conduct, which is an important anti-corruption and accountability instrument.
He stressed that in their reaction to the action of the US Government to sanction the three ranking officials of the CDC-led Government on August 15,2022, they called on President Weah to dismiss the sanctioned officials who were internationally found wanting in integrity to redeem the image of his government.
“However, he failed to do so in further demonstration of the lack of political will to adequately tackle corruption, no matter by whom it is practised,” he said.
CENTAL boss maintained that they however welcome the resignations tendered in by the former officials themselves, possibly after a period of reflection and having realized that their disposition and statuses are incompatible with public service.
Mr. Miamen reiterate call for the President to immediately commission a full-scale impartial and independent investigation into the alleged ‘public corruption’ practiced by the trio, in their former capacities.
According to him, their immediate investigation and prosecution will somehow signal a revival of the Presidents weak stance against corruption, adding that it will boost different efforts being exerted by stakeholders and the international community, including the United States Government in the anti-corruption space and give the needed push for full compliance and adherence to the rule of law and the principles of democracy and good governance (integrity, accountability, transparency, justice, etc.).
“Following the designations by the US Government, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, the President suspended the concerned officials with immediate effect to enable them to face investigation, and that the statement conveying the decision, however, made no mention of the forum to investigate the matter,” he added.
CENTAL boss disclosed that it is confusing considering that the President had less than a month prior signed into law a bill that dismantled the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), creating a successor commission that may not get afloat anytime soon.
“Giving the prevailing circumstances at LACC and the grave nature of offences these officials are said to have perpetrated, we recommend that President Weah establish an independent panel/committee to investigate theses troubling allegations,” ED Miamen revealed.
He intoned that the Ministry of Justice must be instructed to work closely with the panel, following its investigations, to have the former officials prosecuted, if probable cause is established.
Meanwhile, CENTAL calls on the US Government and the International Community to mount the needed diplomatic pressure on the Weah-led Government to ensure immediate prosecution of the sanctioned officials and all those recommended to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC)’s investigative report.
