Liberian president suspends hundreds of officials over asset declaration failure

Liberian President Joseph Boakai has suspended more than 450 top government officials, including ministers, for failing to declare their assets to the anti-corruption agency.

They will be off work without pay for a month or “until they submit the required declarations”, according to the presidency.

Boakai said that the officials had contravened the code of conduct for state officials by not being transparent about what they own.

The president, who had pledged to fight corruption when he came into office last year, said failure to comply undermined efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability.

Among those suspended include the ministers for education and health, as well as the special envoys for tourism and investment.
They also include officials working for the Executive Mansion, the official residence of the president, and county administrative officials.

The law requires all public officers to declare their wealth before taking up their posts and when they leave positions in government.

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) published the list of all the 457 affected public officials, noting it was doing so as prescribed by law.

Boakai, who pledged to fight corruption when he came into office last year, said failure to comply undermined efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability.

“Public officials are reminded that asset declaration is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental measure to promote transparency and restore public trust in governmental institution,” he said in a statement.

Last July, the president announced that he was reducing his salary by 40%, saying he hoped to set a precedent for “responsible governance” and demonstrate “solidarity” with Liberians.

The government of his predecessor, George Weah, had faced accusations of corruption and lavish spending, sparking mass protests amid a rise in the cost of living.

On Wednesday, some of the suspended officials visited the anti-corruption commission offices in order to comply with the requirement.

There has been mixed reaction over the president’s move.

Political analyst Abdullah Kiatamba was quoted by Liberian newspaper FrontPage Africa as being supportive of the president’s anti-corruption stance, but raised concerns about the challenges some officials faced in submitting their asset declarations.

Civil society group Solidarity and Trust for a New Day described Boakai’s move as insufficient.

“Suspending these officials for just one month is a meaningless, symbolic gesture – a slap on the wrist that no serious person should take seriously,” it said in a statement.