By Grace Q. Bryant
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) Chairperson, Alexandria K. Zoe, has called for sanctions, including dismissals, salary withholdings, demotions, and suspensions, against government officials who have failed to declare their assets.
Announcing during the Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism’s (MICAT) regular press briefing on September 5, 2024, Zoe said, “In response to the high non-compliance rate, the LACC has made recommendations to relevant authorities to enforce sanctions. These penalties could include dismissal from office, withholding of salaries, demotions, and suspensions,”
Zoe emphasized that the rule of law must be upheld, stating, “We are recommending sanctions for non-compliance, including dismissals and salary suspensions, to ensure accountability at all levels of government.”
The LACC also published a list of compliant and non-compliant public officials for the period of January to August 31, 2024, on its website. This move aims to promote transparency and hold government officials accountable for their financial disclosures.
The asset declaration process, which began on May 2, 2024, and concluded on July 31, 2024, was extended to August 31 due to low compliance. According to Zoe, 1,900 public officials and employees were required by law to declare their assets and liabilities. However, by the initial July deadline, only 26.5% had complied, leaving 73.5% non-compliant.
As of August 31, the LACC had received a total of 1,008 asset declarations, raising the compliance rate to 53%. Despite this improvement, 46% (892 officials) remained non-compliant.
“We witnessed varying levels of participation and compliance among government officials. While a significant number submitted their declarations, too many did not meet the legal requirements,” Zoe remarked.
In the Legislative Branch, 26 of 73 elected representatives complied, leaving 47 non-compliant. None of the 56 administrative staff in the House of Representatives declared their assets. In the Senate, 12 of 30 senators complied, with 18 non-compliant. Similarly, none of the 44 administrative Senate staff has submitted declarations.
The executive branch identified 1,281 officials required to declare their assets. Of these, 322 complied, leaving 959 non-compliant. Many employees involved in sensitive roles, such as procurement and tendering, also failed to submit their declarations.
In the judiciary, only 29 of 333 officials complied, including seven judges and 22 administrative staff. The majority did not meet the asset declaration requirements.
Following the low compliance rate by July 31, the LACC extended the deadline to August 31. During this period, 245 additional declarations were received, mostly from local government officials unaware of the process. The judiciary received 218 late declarations, while the legislative branch received only five, including one senator and four administrative staff.
Zoe thanked the government, particularly the Ministry of Information, for providing a platform to disseminate the LACC’s reports and findings. She reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to combating corruption and promoting integrity within the public sector.
“The LACC is steadfast in ensuring that the fight against corruption is one we will win. Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable in our pursuit of good governance,” Zoe concluded.
