‘Dismiss Them’ -CENTAL Wants Asset Declaration Delinquents Purged

MONROVIA – Some Liberians in government are really evidently stubborn. Since day one of the Joseph Nyuman Boakai administration, there have been incessant calls from both the president and country’s integrity community to have officials declare their assets as required by law. It took threats and the publication of their names in print for some to submit. Even today, there are some who are yet to comply, and apparently the president has been turning a blind eye. But the ever-alert civil society group, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is rebuilding more fire under them, calling on the president to immediately dismiss the recalcitrant appointed public servants, and for members of the Legislature and Judiciary to stop betraying public trust. The Analyst reports.

Scores of government officials still refusing to declared their assets, the integrity non-state actor, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), has alarmed, expressing its dismay that officials at the highest levels of government who swore oath to uphold the laws of Liberia are in gross disregard of the very laws they swore to uphold.

CENTAL asserts that one of the cardinal tools in preventing corruption, promoting good governance, transparency, and improving citizen’s trust in their leaders is declaration of assets and liabilities, prior to and after leaving office, by those entrusted with public power and authority, and that it is unfortunate many officials of government continue to refuse to comply.

“This singular act of disclosure is not only key in preventing corruption and illicit enrichment, but it is a requirement enshrined in the Code of Conduct for Public Officials passed into law in 2014,” the group said at a press conference held in Monrovia.    

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we are dismayed that officials at the highest levels of government who swore oath to uphold the laws of Liberia are in gross disregard of the very laws they swore to uphold,” CENTAL alarmed. “On the one hand, a significant number of Legislators, who are the makers of the law, are not complying with the laws they made. On the other, the interpreters of the law, Justices of the Supreme Court, who have impressed upon the Executive to implement the Code of Conduct, are turning a blind eye on its implementation.”

The civil society organization recalled that nearly a decade ago, in the case Polson-Mappy V. Republic of Liberia, Supreme Court Opinion, March Term, A.D. 2017, the Supreme Court in emphasizing the importance of the Office of the Ombudsman in the implementation of the Code stated that “there is at present no forum of first instance to receive and address complaints of alleged violation of the Code of Conduct Act. This is of critical concern as the law solely vests the office of Ombudsman with original jurisdiction, not only to have oversight, monitor, and evaluate adherence to the Code of conduct Act, but also to receive and investigate all complaints in respect of adherence thereof.”

It continued: “However, full implementation of the law remains a challenge. Upon assuming office, President Joseph N. Boakai laudably appointed and commissioned a team, headed by Cllr. Findley D. Karngar to oversee the activities of the Office of Ombudsman, whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to enforcing the asset declaration requirement and ensuring that public officials fully comply with other relevant integrity, accountability and transparency standards.”

CENTAL said it is pleased that notable progress is recorded so far in asset declaration compliance, including full compliance by the President and Vice President, Speaker, President Pro Tempore and other officials and 100 percent compliance levels at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).

However, the group noted, data gathered from the Liberia Anti-corruption Commission (LACC) shows that a considerable number of officials of government, including appointees, Legislators and Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia are still reneging on declaring their assets, incomes and liabilities.

Faced with this dilemma, CENTAL indicated, that the Chairperson of the Office of Ombudsman, Cllr. Findley D. Karngar recently recommended the suspension and withholding of one month of salaries and benefits of four of the five Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, including outgoing Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, Justice Yussif D. Kaba, Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, and Justice Ceaineh D. Clinton Johnson along with 29 lawmakers -17 representatives and 12 senators for their failure to comply with Sections 15.1(c) and (d) of the Code of Conduct. 

CENTAL said it is therefore concerned that just a year after the appointment of the Ombudsman, the Supreme Court finds itself as a violator of the law it once protected through legal opinion.

“We call on the Legislature to exercise its oversight responsibility in ensuring compliance by Supreme Court Justices, including through other sanctions provided by law,” said the group, which also calling on majority lawmakers who have laudably declared their assets, incomes and liabilities to push for sanctions against their colleagues who have deliberately refused to respect the Code of Conduct.

The civil society group also expressed concern about the status of actions taken by President Joseph N. Boakai in February 2025 leading to suspension and withholding of the salaries of 457 appointed officials.

“We are yet to be informed whether these officials have resumed work, and if so, whether such resumption is a result of their compliance with the President’s directive to declare their assets, incomes and liabilities,” CENTAL also said, with call on the LACC to publish a full status report on these affected individuals so as to allay concerns of disregard of the Code of Conduct and the Presidential directive.

“We believe these actions will promote greater transparency within the asset declaration regime as well as increase compliance and accountability and transparency in government,” the integrity organization emphasized.

“We call on President Joseph N. Boakai to go a step further from suspension to dismissing all officials within the executive found to have remained defiant by their refusal to declare their assets, incomes and liabilities,” CENTAL demanded. “Also, we urge the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure that assets declared are not just kept on the shelves, but are timely verified, to ensure that the true essence and objectives of the asset declaration process are fully realized.”