By Bill W. Cooper
The Chairperson and Commissioners of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) have sharply reacted to mandate from the Liberian Senate, which instructed them to declare and publish their respective assets in keeping with the Code of Conduct.
The LACC Chairperson, Alexandria Zoe, noted with concern, a statement from Senator Abraham Darius Dilion alleging that they are yet to demonstrate that they have declared and published their assets in keeping with the New LACC Act.
The LACC Boss described the allegation as misleading to the public, and only intended to distract the LACC from current efforts that are being made in the fight against corruption in Liberia.
On Tuesday, December 5, the Senate plenary, during its regular sitting, issued a strong mandate, requiring the Chairperson and Commissioners of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to declare and publish their assets in keeping with the law.
The body further instructed the Senate secretary, Nanbolor Singbe, to officially inform the Commission to ensure that its Chairperson and Commissioners’ assets are declared and published before enforcing its Exit Assets Declaration against outgoing officials.
The decision, according to that body, is to ensure integrity within the LACC while also setting a precedent for outgoing government officials to declare their assets before leaving office.
The Senate’s decision was triggered following a complaint from Sen. Dillon in which he told his colleagues that since the confrontation of Cllr. Zoe and her Commissioners, they have not declared and published their assets in keeping with the New LACC Act.
The Montserrado County Senator also stated that the Commissioners and Chairperson, during confirmation, only presented a slip to the Senate Committee that was shared with the Senators.
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission was established in 2008 with the primary objective of promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity within the Liberian government.
Its mandate includes investigating and prosecuting corruption cases, enforcing the declaration of assets by public officials, and implementing mechanisms to prevent corruption.
Also, the country’s Code of Conduct of 2014, amended in 2022, mandates that prior to or before taking public office, all public officials shall declare and publish their ‘Assets and Liabilities.’
The Code of Conduct also mandates that all public officials shall declare and publish their ‘Assets and Liabilities’ before or when leaving public office, as well as after every three years in office.
But in reaction to the claims, Cllr. Zoe, during a press conference yesterday, stressed, “There is nowhere in the July 22, 2022 New LACC Act that requires the Commissioners during confirmation to declare their assets and thereafter publish said declaration.”
“This is simply because our Code of Conduct of 2014 provides for Asset Declaration only by public officials and employees of government. During confirmation, the now Commissioners were not public officials, neither were they employees of government, therefore, there is no law that requires them to declare their assets and/or publish said declaration, not the LACC Act of 2022 and not the Code of Conduct of 2014,” she maintained.
According to her, as was requested by few of the Senators during their confirmation in keeping with Section 6.12 of the New LACC Act, “Confirmation: A person nominated to serve on the Commission who is an active member of any political party shall publicly resign before confirmation by the Liberian Senate, and appointment by the President of Liberia.
He/she shall, during confirmation process, declare his/her assets and any property interest, which declaration, unless found to be questionable, shall not prejudice his/her nomination.”
This, Cllr. Zoe emphasized, “We wish to inform the public that at no time has any of its Commissioners been an active member of any political party, for which Section 6.12 could be applicable.”
“Notwithstanding, during our confirmation hearing in July 2023, when the issue was raised by Sen. Dillion and the hearing was halted, in the spirit of fairness, and in an effort to demonstrate integrity and transparency, they proceeded to the LACC and declared their respective assets with Madam Particia Barnaby, the Asset Declaration and Verification Officer of the LACC.
The Commissioners obtained their respective official receipt from the LACC and filed said receipt with the office of the Secretary of Senator Henrique Togba, the Chairman of the Committee on Autonomous Agencies and Commission, which later gave grounds for the confirmation hearing to continue, and the Commissioners were eventually confirmed,” she noted.
The LACC Chairperson furthered, “We wish to inform the public that as a matter of fact, the pre-selection of candidates before nomination and subsequent confirmation by the Senate, which comprises of representatives of the General Auditing Commission, Governance Commission, Liberia National Bar Association, Press Union of Liberia, Liberia Business Association, Anti-Corruption Advocate of Civil Society Organization, Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the International Donor Community, took into consideration all of the issues of integrity, competence, compliance, and accountability.”
“We are cognizant of the fact that there are individuals who do not want us to be at the LACC and therefore will go to any length to stop the Commissioners from performing the duties for which they were legally appointed, simply because corruption fights back.
Our nation has just concluded a peaceful election and there is a transition process ongoing. We must use this time to preach peace, reconciliation, and development. We therefore call on all Liberians to support the new board of Commissioners as we execute our mandate in this fight against corruption,” she added.
Cllr. Zoe also asserted, “So, we look forward to working with the Senate to provide proof of our asset declarations so as to lay this matter to rest once and for all.”
She also maintained that the deadline for the Asset Declaration still stands at December 12, 2023, and encouraged every public official and employee of government to proceed to the LACC and declare.
