Corruption is a problem for Liberia’s development

The Swedish Envoy cited corruption as a key development problem for Liberia when CENTAL launched its anti-corruption monitoring report following President Boakai’s first 100 days in office.

By Lewis S. Teh

Monrovia, June 21, 2024: Mr. Johan Romare, head of the Swedish Development Corporation at the Swedish Embassy near Monrovia, has identified corruption as one of Liberia’s key development problems.

“As you are aware, one of the key development problems for Liberia is corruption, and [the] government must take actions,” Mr. Romare said Thursday, 20 June 2024, when a pro-integrity group launched an anti-corruption monitoring report in Monrovia.

On Thursday, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) launched its anti-corruption monitoring report on the first hundred days of the Boakai-Kougn-led administration.

Officially launching the report, Mr. Romare said the Embassy of Sweden was excited to have listened to the presentation of the findings from CENTAL, which tracks the new government’s performance.

“From the angle of [the] Embassy of Sweden, we want to extoll CENTAL for this great work. And this [is] meant to encourage the government to do more,” the Swedish Envoy said.

“Having said, I hereby officially launch the CENTAL anti-corruption monitoring report 2024,” he continued.

CENTAL program manager Atty. Gerald Yeakula presented the report to international partners and government officials in a brief PowerPoint presentation.

In the presentation, Yeakula highlighted key findings within the report, adding that the team tracked the government’s performance for 130 days rather than the government’s pronounced 100 days’ deliverables.

Regarding corruption allegations, Yeakula explained that the president’s decision to suspend the head of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) and the subsequent appointment of an ombudsman, among other things, are a few progressive steps that the government has taken.

CENTAL also reported progress on gender and inclusion because about 30% of the cabinet members are females.

Currently, CENTAL said, there are a few visually impaired persons including disabled people serving in government.

But Central indicated much still needs to be done about nepotism, even though President Joseph Nyumah Boakai hasn’t appointed any of his family members and relatives, including children.

However, CENTAL said some of his officials who are heads of governmental institutions have some of their children and families placed in key positions.

CENTAL argued that this is nepotism because the officials who are placing their relatives in key positions were appointed by President Boakai.

On tenured positions, Atty. Yeakula said the president’s actions contravened most of the laws.

He stated that the president’s appointment of officials in tenured positions was challenged, and the government lost the case, President Boakai would resort to conducting an audit to replace those who won the case.

Yeakula warned that President Boakai’s actions sent a wrong message. 

For his part, CENTAL Executive Director Mr. Anderson Miamen said launching the anti-corruption monitoring report is meant to strengthen governance, not mainly to chastise it.

According to him, the report launch was a second phase as part of the project CENTAL has with the Swedish Embassy through SIDA.

As part of the program, he said CENTAL is working with different government players to support and promote a culture of accountability, integrity, transparency, and good governance.

Miamen said part of the project focuses on building integrity for public sector institutions, and another part focuses on engagement with citizens.

He detailed that it also focuses on educating citizens about the effects of corruption and empowering them with the necessary tools to report corruption.

According to him, the report focuses, among other things, on fighting corruption, bad governance, and adherence to the rule of law.

Meanwhile, CENTAL Board of Directors chairperson Cllr. T. Nebale Warner has thanked donor partners for always standing alongside the institution and supporting its many activities.