By S. Siapha Mulbah
The former Ambassador of the United States of America to Liberia and the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, has expressed total disappointment in Liberians giving top elective and other government positions to individuals who are sanctioned by the US Department of Foreign Asset Control.
Madam Greenfield described it as disturbing to see officials of government that have been sanctioned by the United States, following series of investigations on their involvement in corruption and other basic human rights violations, serving key positions in different branches of the Liberian government, especially the Legislature.
Two sanctioned individuals, Nathaniel McGill and Bill Twehway, who were elected as senators by their respective counties in the October 2023 general and presidential elections in Liberia, as well as Emmanuel Nuquay, designated under the Global Magnitsky Act for their alleged involvement in corruption, have been elected to head key committees of the Liberian Legislature in the newly inaugurated Unity Party government.
Ambassador Greenfield, speaking to a local media outlet in Monrovia, noted that sanctioning of officials by the United States government around the world is an effort to support good governance and accountability, making sure that the rights of people are not violated by others.
She said Liberia as a country has to address the situation of empowering sanctioned individuals, because many of their involvement into the acts for which they were sanctioned have the propensity of taking the country towards bad democracy.
According to her, the US Government is willing to work with the Government of Liberia in an instance of establishing a war and economic crimes court that could prosecute and further investigate corruptions and the reported human rights violations that led to the sanctioning of those individuals.
The Ambassador noted that those persons who have not been removed from the sanction list under the United States Department of Foreign Asset Control have to earn being removed from the sanction; but seeing them not earning removal and occupying key positions in government poses a barrier to the country’s fight against corruption and the culture of impunity.
She however did not confirm or deny reports that there could be more individuals in Liberia that would be sanctioned in the coming days, but stated that the US is watching around the world and can release sanctions for individuals that are investigated and found liable.
She urged Liberians, especially the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, to take the necessary steps as a country to address the issue of corruption; basically, that has to do with reported culprits in the corridors of power.
In the past administration, she believes that there was not much done to have corruption controlled and taking out sanctioned officials from the system in Liberia, which she sees the new administration being vocal to fight against.
Ambassador Greenfield observed that Liberia is a country with good potential and riches, but its citizens will have to work around its resources for the growth and development of the land.
Officials of government currently facing US sanctions at the Legislature are senators Emmanuel Nuquay and Nathaniel McGill, both from Margibi County, Senator Bill Twehway of Rivercess County; Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County, and Senator Albert Chie of Grand Kru County, for different violations ranging from human rights abuse to corruption.
