By Bill W. Cooper
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) might be as the fig tree in the Bible days as more government officials have deliberately ignored its assets declaration requirement.
Already as of today up to the end of work, the LACC’s extension for declaration of assets hits it’s deadline.
The Commission’s action has been lowered to warning delinquent public officials who refuse to comply with the asset declaration requirement.
However, the asset declaration requirement is a key component of Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts, aimed at promoting transparency and accountability across government.
All government officials, including elected officials, appointed, and members of the Judiciary, are required to declare their assets and liabilities to the LACC before assuming and after three years in office.
It can be recalled that in June of this year, the LACC through its Executive Chairperson, Alexandra Zoe revealed a concerning trend of non-compliance among government officials, disclosing that only 207 out of 500 officials were in compliance pointing to the Legislature and the Executive Branches at the time as defiant officials.
This figure at the time which highlighted that over 60 percent of officials has yet to fulfill said crucial obligation and if not upheld by this time, those occupying offices of trust are in total violation of section 10.1 of the Code of Conduct of 2014 and Section 10.2(h) of the Amended Code of Conduct.
Section 10.1 of the Code of Conduct of 2014 requires every public official and employee of government involved in making decisions affecting contracting, tendering, or procurement, and issuance of licenses of various types, to sign performance or financial bonds, and in addition, to declare his or her income, assets, and liabilities prior to taking office.
While Section 10.2(h) of the Amended Code of Conduct provides that an official appointed by the President shall declare his/her assets not less than 30 days after appointment, and that failure to comply shall result in immediate suspension from office until full compliance is obtained.
Cllr. Zoe, as a result of the non-compliance by the Boakai’s officials, then set a new deadline of July 31, 2024, for all government officials to declare their assets, extending the initial timeframe to provide additional time for compliance.
However, in the past, many government officials have been able to evade punishment for non-compliance, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the asset declaration requirement by the LACC who is tasked with investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption and promoting good governance and accountability in the country.
The anti-corruption institution appeared vocal in its efforts to enforce the asset declaration requirement, warning that officials who fail to comply will face consequences.
In a recent statement, the commission reiterated that the deadline for asset declaration is July 31, 2024, and urged all officials to submit their declarations on time in order to avo legal action from the commission as required by law.
Report also had it that there are concerns that some government officials may still refuse to declare their assets, either out of fear of repercussions or a desire to conceal their wealth which could pose a significant challenge to the LACC’s authority and credibility, as well as undermine the government’s anti-corruption efforts.
But said tough stance has been welcomed by some anti-corruption advocates and civil society groups, who have long called for stronger enforcement of the asset declaration requirement.
They argue that holding officials accountable for non-compliance is essential to building public trust in government institutions and combating corruption but some have also expressed concerns about the LACC’s ability to effectively enforce the asset declaration requirement.
The commission has faced challenges in the past, including limited resources and political interference, which have hampered its ability to hold officials accountable for corruption.
Despite these challenges, the LACC said it remains committed to enforcing the asset declaration requirement and holding officials accountable for non-compliance, calling on all government officials to declare their assets by the July 31 deadline or face consequences.
