The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) welcomes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ decision for Liberians and non-Liberians to return all diplomatic, official, and service passports, and has called on the Government of Liberia to speed up investigation and release of findings into previous passport sagas.
It can be recalled that on March 18, Foreign Minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, ordered the suspension of the July 2023 Revised Passport Regulation and reinstated the March 2016 Regulation.
According to the Minister, the decision mandates the immediate return of all diplomatic, official, and service passports in the possession of individuals, including Liberians and non-Liberians, regardless of the duration of the validity period.
Addressing the press at the office in Sinkor, the Executive Director, Anderson Miamen, said the decision intended to address discrepancies in the issuance of Liberian passports is commendable, but such effort should go in tandem with the speedy conclusion and publication of investigative findings into reported sale of diplomatic passports.
“As contained in CENTAL’s 2023 State of Corruption Report (SCORE) and other publications, scandals emanating from the use of Liberian diplomatic passports by non-Liberians have been widespread. CENTAL’s SCORE uncovered reports that diplomatic passports were being sold for over US$200,000,” he added.
However, in the November 2022 report, it was revealed that a holder of a Liberian diplomatic passport, Samuel Kwame Arbekwah, committed suicide at the Istanbul International Airport in Turkey after he was reportedly arrested for drug trafficking.
Based on the shady history of the issuance of the Liberian diplomatic passport, CENTAL expressed full support of the latest move by the Government of Liberia to recall diplomatic and service passports, and at the same time encouraged the new administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to fast-track the findings from investigations into previous sagas.
“Investigations cannot remain inconclusive. Persons involved in the illicit sale of Liberian passports must be held to account. These actions, when taken, will ensure that the sanctity of Liberian diplomatic, service, and ordinary passports is restored,” he narrated.
