GAC to Probe Extractive Sector

By Lincoln G. Peters

Congo Town, Monrovia, May 21, 2026 – The General Auditing Commission (GAC) has sounded an alarm and announced plans to mount a sweeping audit of Liberia’s extractive industry, citing troubling discrepancies in sector revenue and transparency.

Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson, Sr., speaking Tuesday at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, said the Commission is gearing up to launch the audit amid mounting public concerns.

“We are in the process of commissioning and pioneering comprehensive audits on revenue from the extractive industry, following discrepancies uncovered during limited assurance audits with the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and rising public scrutiny,” Jackson said.

At the same time, Jackson lauded the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, for timely budgetary support and emphasized the GAC’s operational independence in carrying out its mandate.

He disclosed that, for the first time since its inception, the Commission has received 50 percent of its full budget from the government, in line with the GAC Act of 2014. Jackson described the move as a boost for transparency and accountability.

He further revealed that the GAC has requested an independent assessment by the World Bank Country Team in early 2027, underscoring the Commission’s commitment to international best practices.

Over the past five years, the GAC’s audit reviews have highlighted robust internal controls, with financial statements earning unqualified opinions—an achievement Jackson believes sets a high bar for public-sector accountability.

According to Jackson, the Commission has also completed two quality assurance reviews of its audit processes and launched measures to address identified gaps.

Going forward, Jackson noted, the GAC is advancing toward full automation of its audit processes through the World Bank–backed Governance, Reform, and Accountability Transformation project.