NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has lauded the Government of Liberia (GoL) for its ongoing anti-corruption reforms but is calling for heightened actions to achieve more significant results.
During a press briefing, CENTAL emphasized that while recent developments indicate progress, many crucial gaps remain that hinder the fight against corruption.
In the wake of President Joseph N. Boakai’s recent State of the Nation Address, which highlighted anti-corruption initiatives, CENTAL expressed cautious optimism about the establishment of a Performance Management and Compliance System requiring institutional heads to adhere to performance contracts.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
The Liberian leader also announced 11 indictments secured by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), alongside ongoing prosecutions for corruption.
However, CENTAL’s Executive Director urged for swifter action, particularly the timely establishment of a specialized anti-corruption court.
This court would help eradicate the culture of impunity by ensuring prompt adjudication of corruption cases and removing the five-year statute of limitation that currently hampers accountability.
“The government must also expedite the recovery of stolen financial and non-financial assets both domestically and internationally,” stated CENTAL’s director. “More than a year of operations for the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce should yield significant outcomes, especially with the weight of ongoing U.S. sanctions against corrupt officials.”
Despite acknowledging recent achievements, such as the completion of 94 out of 105 audits by the General Auditing Commission (GAC), CENTAL criticized the slow legislative response to audit findings.
“When critical audits are left unaddressed, it undermines accountability and the public’s trust in governance,” the director remarked, emphasizing the need for active engagement from the Public Account Committees of the Legislature.
CENTAL also raised concerns over the LACC’s delay in releasing a comprehensive asset verification report, which has been pending for over two years since government officials declared their assets.
This lack of verification undermines the integrity of the asset declaration process, which should prioritize accountability over mere compliance tracking.
As the nation grapples with a pressing need for accountability and transparency, CENTAL reiterated its commitment to monitoring government actions and working alongside civil society to ensure that the public sees tangible results.
“Liberians deserve a government that demonstrates a robust commitment to transparency and accountability, matched by impactful development,” they concluded.
In light of donor withdrawal trends and budgetary constraints, CENTAL urged that the fight against corruption becomes a collective, citizen-driven effort, requiring coordination among the President, Legislature, and Judiciary to foster an independent and effective integrity framework.
