By Laurina B. Lormia
President Joseph Boakai, has finally taken the courage to suspend officials of his government who, despite several warning fragrantly tested his resolve and failed to declare their assets within the required timeframe.
What is even more intriguing is what appears to be a defiant posture by key officials of government who should understand presidential and constitutional mandates. The X of some of the key suspended officials as published in the Inquirer Newspaper(Vol. 34 N0. 19, Wednesday, February 12, 2025) include Eugene Fahngon – Director General, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), Dr. Jarso Jallah – Minister of Education, Dr. Louise Kpoto – Minister of Health, Mohamed Maladho Bah – Presidential Special Envoy on Investment and Christopher Hages Onanuga – Ambassador-At-Large for Tourism.
Others include Loretta Pope Kai – Board Member, FDA, Alphonso Belleh – Deputy Director for Administration-NIR, Ambassador Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh – Former Acting President, University of Liberia; Sheikh Al-Mustapha Kouyateh – Ambassador-At-Large for Presidential Affairs; William K. Toe – Assistant Minister for Administration, Ministry of Information and John Fello – Board Member, Liberia Aviation Authority.
Additional suspended officials include Thomas Gonkerwon, Interim Managing Director; Eric A. Fredericks, Interim Deputy Managing Director for Administration; Emile Karnga, Interim Deputy Managing Director for Operations; and Dele Shobayo, Interim Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services.
On November 28, President Boakai issued a stern directive mandating all appointed government officials to comply with the Declaration of Assets requirements as outlined in the 2014 Code of Conduct granting a final ten-day deadline to comply or face decisive consequences.
According to President Boakai, despite repeated calls for compliance, several officials have failed to declare their assets within the required timeframe, contravening Article 2, Section 10.2(h) of the Act to Amend Section 5.2 and Section 10.2 of the 2014 Code of Conduct.
President Boakai stressed that, officials who fail to comply within this period will face immediate suspension from their respective positions, as mandated by law, until they meet the legal requirements.
He urged all government officials to demonstrate integrity and accountability by adhering to this directive promptly, adding, “[T]his action reflects the administration’s dedication to fostering a culture of transparency and trust in public service.”
It can be recalled that on Tuesday, November 26, the Executive Director for the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Anderson Miamen, called on President Boakai to demonstrate firm leadership by enforcing the legal requirement for asset declarations.
According to him, since August 2024, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) reported that over 70% of officials appointed by President Boakai have refused to declare their assets, incomes and liabilities.
He stated that, part 10 of the amended 2022 Code of Conduct requires both elected and appointed officials of government to declare their assets, incomes, and liabilities before assuming office.
“Unfortunately, this disregard for a crucial transparency and accountability process in government has not captured the attention of President Boakai, as he has yet to warn, suspend, or dismiss the non-compliant officials. This is deeply troubling, as it undermines the president’s commitment to combating corruption,” Miamen noted.
In response to those who willfully defied the ten-day ultimatum, President Boakai, on Wednesday February 12, suspended scores of government officials for non-compliance over their failure to declare their assets.
President Boakai reiterates that, failure to comply with asset declaration requirements undermines national efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability. Moving forward, he warned, strict enforcement of legal and ethical standards will continue to be a priority of his Administration.
As part of this directive, he urged that, all suspended officials must immediately turn over government assets to compliant heads of agencies, their designees, or authorized personnel within their respective institutions.
Public officials are reminded that asset declaration is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental measure to promote transparency and restore public trust in governmental institutions.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has provided a list of defiant officials, and those listed are now suspended for a period of one month without pay or until they submit the required declarations.
