“Ensure LRA Board Confirmation” -Patricks Urges Pres. Boakai; Warns of Board’s Function Usurpation

MONROVIA – One of Liberia’s foremost human rights campaigners and public policy strategists, Vandalark Patricks, has enjoined President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to hasten the confirmation of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Board of Director to avoid usurpation of the Board’s function by the LRA Director General who has single-handedly been taking decisions that should have involved inputs from the LRA. Board.

In an open letter to President Boakai, Mr. Patricks bemoaned what he termed as attempts by powerful people within Boakai’s government to stall the confirmation of the non-statutory board members.

“Your Excellency, on October 16, 2024, you nominated the Board of Directors of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to have that entity regulated. Sadly Mr. President, I have observed that the confirmation of the Non-statutory board members you nominated/appointed have been stalled by very powerful people within your government.

“You promised us accountability and transparency, which are strong antidotes to fight corruption. But, whoever is stalling the confirmation of the Board that you appointed, is harming your legacy and should be drastically dealt with by your office. When people that you trust start to undermine your leadership, it leads to institutional breakdown.

“Interestingly Mr. President, the Senate Pro-tempore, Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence was and remains an ardent supporter of your government, but why has the Senate under her watch not confirmed those individuals you nominated to the Board at LRA?

“It’s imperative to suggest that the Senate be written seeking clarity on why there’s a hold on the confirmation of those Board members. Let the Senate state their reasons and if they were rejected, it should be stated so you can proceed with another nomination.

“Mr. President, while the Board that you nominated is held on hold, its powers, including mandating non-appointed officers to declare their assets contrary to Section 25 sub-section 2 of the LRA Act, are being executed by the Director General. This is usurpation of authority, something that speaks to poor regulations.

“Let me state clearly for the record; I have absolutely no malicious feeling against the LRA Director General, but it’s holistic to remind you that the execution of the functions of the LRA Board by his office is a problem,” Mr. Patricks intoned in his open to President Boakai.

Referencing the situation with the former Managing Director of LEC, Mr. Monie R. Captan, Vandalark Patricks said the public at the government when was discovered that LEC Boat rd of Directors was not constituted, but its functions were executed by him while serving as Managing Director of LEC at the same time. Consequently, LEC was engulfed into a series of poor electricity problems due to poor regulations.

Lack of probity at LRA Demands Board Confirmation

According to Mr. Patricks, President Boakai must hurry to ensure confirmation of the LRA Board, in the face of the most recent audit report of the LRA up to October, 2024 released by the GAC where some US$6 Million couldn’t be accounted; as well as the underperformance of the LRA for the “first quarter of the fiscal year 2025”.

“This is not only an urgent action that should be taken, but it will help supervise and regulate the activities of ALL Commissioners at LRA, including the management team.

“Mr. President, do you know that the position of Commissioner for Domestic Tax is still vacant at LRA and it should be filled by a presidential appointment after the recommendation of the Board? It’s unbelievable that such a senior position of Commissioner for Domestic Tax has been vacant since last year (May, 2024 to May, 2025) without an appointment of a qualified commissioner. Who is acting in this role and why?

“Let me also clarify that I am not a financial expert and have no interest whatsoever in this role, including fronting for anyone. As always, I like to draw your attention on some policy defaults with the hope you will act decisively as President of Liberia. This singular situation can be construed as one of the major reasons for the underperformance of the LRA, and creeping acts of corruption at that entity. It could potentially give others more reasons to believe your government is not transparent.

“Mr. President, I understand your philosophy of none interference amongst the three (3) branches of government. But, it’s imperative to urge you in taking steps forward to remind the Liberian Senate to redeem itself. The Senate must immediately act by confirming the three (3) respectable Liberians that were appointed by you since October 2024 to adequately and appropriately supervise and regulate the activities of the LRA.

“The LRA is the powerhouse for revenue generation in our country and leaving it completely unregistered (absence of the Board of Directors) is a problem, especially when the recent GAC audit report pointed towards a semblance of massive corruption where about 6 Million couldn’t be accounted for.

Best practice recommendations at the LRA

Concluding in his letter to President Boakai, Mr. Patricks proffered several recommendations to the government which he reasoned would enhanced accountability, good governance and financial best practices at the nation’s premier revenue collection agency.

Accordingly, Patricks recommended that the Executive Mansion expeditiously hold a meeting with the Leadership of the Senate to lobby the confirmation of the Non-Statutory Board Members that President Boakai appointed on LRA board and where the Senate finds the nominees unfit, the Chief Executive should replace them with new nominees to immediately undertake the herculean tasks at the LRA.

“Domestic Revenue is the heartbeat of the nation and the last hope for the delivery of basic social services and economic emancipation of the Liberian people. The target by LRA to raise 880 Million is welcoming and the move to 1 billion annual budget is a landmark achievement that will benefit all Liberians. However, this will only be achievable if the Board of Directors of the LRA is immediately confirmed to begin the regulation process of certain activities at the LRA,” Patricks said.

The activist and public policy strategist further called on the government to resolve all outstanding recruitment of the Commissioner for Domestic Tax that is being placed on hold at LRA, as this has the potential to undermine the process of meeting the 1 Billion revenue collection target this year.

Wrapping up his recommendation, Patricks advised that the recent audit report by the GAC be thoroughly reviewed by a specialized committee appointed by you and those linked in the report be made to undergo investigation to answer to the egregious issues raised by the GAC for the period covered by the Audit, march to October, 2024.