Liberian president suspends more than 450 officials

Liberian President Joseph Boakai, who has pledged to fight endemic corruption, suspended Wednesday more than 450 government-appointed officials for failing to declare their assets.

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) identified 457 officials, including the minister overseeing the budget as well as ambassadors, as having not declared what they own before a November deadline, as required by the country’s code of conduct for state officials.

The officials have been “suspended for a period of one month without pay or until they submit the required declarations”, the president’s office said.

Liberian law requires public functionaries to declare their assets when they take up and vacate their positions.

Boakai, elected in November 2023, “remains steadfast in his commitment to good governance, integrity, and the rule of law”, the statement said.

“Failure to comply with asset declaration requirements undermines national efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability,” it added.

“I think it’s a good news”, political analyst Abdullah Kiatamba said. “I hope he maintains the trend, but it is in the best interest of the country”.

Liberia, a west African country with a population of five million including the world’s poorest, is seeking stability after years of civil wars and an Ebola epidemic in 2014.

According to the NGO Transparency International, Liberia ranks 135th out of 180 countries in its corruption perceptions index.

Last week, Boakai suspended the president of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), Rostalyn Suakoko Dennis, on suspicion of corruption, and an investigation has been launched.