MONROVIA – The Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Clarence Massaquoi, has ignited fresh controversy over transparency and accountability after refusing to disclose the amount of revenue generated from the country’s telecommunications traffic monitoring system. His declaration that he is accountable only to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has intensified public debate over the management of one of Liberia’s most strategic sources of regulatory revenue, while ongoing complaints before the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC) continue to fuel demands for greater openness. The Analyst reports
The Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Clarence Massaquoi, has come under renewed public scrutiny after refusing to disclose the amount of revenue generated from Liberia’s telecommunications traffic monitoring system since assuming office, maintaining that he is accountable only to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and not to the general public.
Massaquoi made the remarks Friday during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, where he repeatedly declined requests from journalists to provide figures on revenues generated from telecommunications traffic monitoring—one of the country’s most important regulatory revenue streams.
His comments have since triggered widespread debate over transparency, accountability, and the stewardship of public resources, with governance advocates arguing that institutions entrusted with managing public funds have a legal and moral obligation to keep citizens informed.
When pressed to reveal how much money the Authority has generated, Massaquoi remained resolute.
“If they want me to say where the money is, I will not say it. I will report to the President,” he declared.
Seeking to reassure the public about the handling of the funds, the LTA Chairman defended the integrity of the Board of Commissioners.
“I can only assure the public that this Board of Commissioners—I can vouch for the character of each of my colleagues. All funds generated, today as I stand on this podium, if I were to receive a call from the Chief Executive to press the button to transfer, I will do it right from this point.”
While emphasizing that the revenues remain under government control, Massaquoi stopped short of revealing either the amount generated or the account into which the monies have been deposited.
His refusal has reignited a national conversation about whether public institutions can legitimately withhold financial information involving public revenues while invoking executive accountability.
The controversy is particularly significant because the Liberia Telecommunications Authority is not a private institution but an autonomous public commission created by the Telecommunications Act of 2007 to regulate one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors.
The LTA is mandated to advise the Government on telecommunications policy, regulate telecommunications operators, issue licenses, enforce regulations, monitor compliance, protect consumer interests, promote fair competition, and ensure that operators pay all regulatory fees and obligations due the Government of Liberia.
The Authority’s official website further identifies its core institutional values as fairness, credibility, transparency, and acceptability—principles that governance advocates say should equally apply to its financial operations.
Critics argue that declining to disclose revenues generated from telecommunications traffic monitoring appears inconsistent with those publicly stated values, especially at a time when transparency remains a central pillar of President Boakai’s governance agenda.
The Chairman’s comments have also renewed public interest in the operations of Liberia’s telecommunications traffic monitoring system, whose revenues have remained largely undisclosed since the suspension of the previous monitoring arrangement.
Complaint Before LACC and GAC
The latest controversy comes against the backdrop of a formal complaint submitted by investigative journalist Alfred Togba to both the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC), requesting investigations into the financial management, contractual arrangements, and operational activities of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority.
The complaint reportedly raises questions regarding revenue collection, expenditure, procurement practices, and the Authority’s administration of the telecommunications traffic monitoring system.
Although Massaquoi dismissed the allegations as unfounded and politically motivated, he maintained that the Authority has nothing to hide and will fully cooperate with any lawful investigation conducted by the relevant integrity institutions.
The LACC has acknowledged receipt of the complaint and disclosed that similar concerns surrounding the Authority had previously been brought to its attention, raising the possibility of broader institutional scrutiny.
To date, however, the LTA has not published comprehensive financial reports indicating the total amount of revenue generated from telecommunications traffic monitoring since the previous monitoring arrangement was suspended.
The absence of publicly available figures has fueled persistent speculation and intensified calls from civil society organizations, the media, and governance advocates for greater openness regarding the Authority’s financial management.
Understanding Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring
Telecommunications traffic monitoring is regarded worldwide as an important regulatory tool that enables governments to independently verify telecommunications traffic generated by licensed operators.
The system helps regulators determine whether operators are accurately reporting call volumes, international gateway traffic, messaging services, and other telecommunications activities from which regulatory fees, taxes, and levies are assessed.
Beyond revenue assurance, traffic monitoring also serves several important public policy objectives, including combating international call bypass fraud, detecting illegal telecommunications operations, protecting government revenues, improving regulatory compliance, and strengthening confidence in the telecommunications sector.
For countries such as Liberia, where telecommunications has become one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy, effective traffic monitoring is considered critical for maximizing domestic revenue mobilization while ensuring fairness among licensed operators.
The TIA Concession
Liberia’s current debate over telecommunications monitoring traces its roots to 2018, when the Government entered into an agreement with Telecom International Alliance (TIA), an American company specializing in telecommunications traffic monitoring and revenue assurance services.
The agreement sought to deploy modern monitoring technology capable of independently capturing and analyzing telecommunications traffic generated by licensed operators throughout Liberia.
The objective was to provide the LTA with an independent verification mechanism for telecommunications traffic while improving revenue collection, enhancing regulatory oversight, reducing fraud, and ensuring compliance with licensing obligations.
Following subsequent amendments, the agreement evolved into a concession arrangement that was ratified by the National Legislature in 2022, thereby giving it legislative backing.
Under the concession, TIA was expected to deploy sophisticated monitoring infrastructure integrated with operators’ switching systems, allowing regulators to independently verify traffic rather than relying solely on figures reported by telecommunications companies themselves.
Supporters argued that the arrangement would significantly strengthen revenue assurance while improving transparency within the telecommunications sector.
Justice Ministry Opinion
Questions surrounding the legality of the concession later prompted the Ministry of Justice to undertake a legal review.
In 2024, the Ministry issued a formal legal opinion concluding that the concession agreement remained legal, valid, and enforceable unless and until it was declared otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.
That opinion became an important reference point in subsequent public debates surrounding the future of the concession.
Boakai Suspends the Concession
Following his assumption of office, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai suspended implementation of the TIA concession pending a comprehensive review.
The decision triggered extensive hearings by both Houses of the National Legislature, where lawmakers examined the legal, financial, technical, and policy implications of the concession.
After months of deliberations, the Joint Committee stopped short of recommending outright cancellation.
Instead, lawmakers concluded that renegotiation represented the most prudent course of action.
The Committee warned that unilateral cancellation could expose Liberia to unnecessary legal liabilities, undermine investor confidence, and damage the country’s international reputation for respecting legally executed agreements.
Among lawmakers supporting renegotiation were Senators Albert Chie, Amara Konneh, and Abraham Darius Dillon, along with Representatives Foday Fahnbulleh, Ivar K. Jones, Judith Wiah, and Marie Johnson.
The Joint Committee subsequently recommended that Government to among other things, lift the suspension imposed on the concession, suspend negotiations for any competing telecommunications monitoring arrangements, engage Telecom International Alliance in renegotiations consistent with Liberian law and preserve Liberia’s reputation as a country that honors legally executed investment agreements.
The Committee further noted that Liberia has historically resolved disputes involving major concession agreements—including those with ArcelorMittal Liberia and Firestone Liberia—through dialogue and renegotiation rather than unilateral cancellation.
Questions Over Current Monitoring Capacity
Since the suspension of the TIA concession, significant questions have persisted regarding the LTA’s present technical capacity to independently monitor telecommunications traffic.
Industry experts note that modern telecommunications monitoring requires far more than the installation of physical hardware.
Effective monitoring depends on secure, real-time integration with telecommunications operators’ switching systems, specialized software capable of processing signaling information and call detail records, licensed analytical platforms, continuous software updates, cybersecurity protection, and experienced engineers capable of interpreting complex telecommunications data.
According to telecommunications specialists, without these integrated technological components, independently verifying telecommunications traffic and accurately determining regulatory revenues becomes considerably more difficult.
Some industry observers have therefore questioned how the Authority currently verifies telecommunications traffic, detects fraud, validates operator submissions, and calculates regulatory fees following the suspension of the previous monitoring arrangement.
These concerns have strengthened public demands for the LTA to explain not only how much revenue has been generated but also the methodology currently being employed to monitor telecommunications traffic and safeguard public revenues.
Public Accountability at the Center
Governance experts argue that although the Liberia Telecommunications Authority reports administratively through the Executive Branch, it remains a public institution managing public resources on behalf of the Liberian people.
Consequently, they contend that periodic publication of audited financial statements, annual revenue reports, operational updates, and performance reports constitutes an essential element of democratic governance and public accountability.
Transparency advocates further argue that regular disclosure of such information not only strengthens public confidence but also enhances investor trust, reduces opportunities for corruption, and reinforces the credibility of regulatory institutions.
The debate has become even more pronounced as President Boakai’s administration continues to emphasize transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption as central pillars of its governance agenda.
Implications Going Forward
With investigations reportedly under consideration by both the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and the General Auditing Commission, attention is now shifting to the findings of those institutions.
Many observers believe the outcome could shape the future of telecommunications traffic monitoring in Liberia, influence decisions regarding the suspended TIA concession, and determine whether additional reforms are required within the Liberia Telecommunications Authority.
For governance advocates, however, the controversy extends beyond telecommunications alone. They argue that the central issue is whether public officials entrusted with managing public resources should disclose financial information to the citizens they serve or whether such information should remain confined to the Executive Branch.
As public interest continues to mount, Massaquoi’s declaration that he will report telecommunications revenues only to President Boakai has become the latest flashpoint in Liberia’s broader national debate over transparency, institutional accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources—issues that many believe will remain under close public scrutiny in the weeks and months ahead.