GANTA – Nimba County Electoral District #7 Representative, Musa Hassaan Bility, has lauded President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s decision to audit some officials of the erstwhile George Weah-led government.
By Kannay Ziamo, Contributing Writer
He said the decision demonstrates the Boakai-led government’s “commitment to being held accountable for its actions,” which he noted is “commendable.”
Representative Bility, a strong ally of former President Weah, indicated that upon assuming the presidency in January 2018, there was hope that the fight against corruption would begin based on a promise Weah made during his inaugural address to tackle corruption.
According to Bility, this promise raised the hopes of Liberians who believed that the Unity Party government under Madam Sirleaf and Boakai was corrupt. However, their hopes and aspirations were dashed a year later when the Weah-led government resolved to conduct a “comprehensive” audit without providing a clear explanation to the Liberian people for abandoning its previous plan.
Less than ten months after his election, President Boakai has embarked on a mission to prosecute some former officials of the Weah government based on reports from the General Auditing Commission.
The reports pointed to acts of corruption allegedly carried out by some former top officials of the Weah government, including former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, Jr.
Commenting on the nature of the reports, Bility stated that parts of the reports he had seen so far made him “deeply troubled by the amounts and ways in which money was allegedly taken from national coffers.”
He noted that if the corruption allegations levied against the former government officials are true but are not investigated by the Boakai government, it would mean the government has failed the Liberian people, who are the main victims of corruption.
Weighing in on former President Weah’s statement against the arrest of some former officials of his CDC government, Representative Bility argued that the “timing was inappropriate” and maintained that given the serious nature of the allegations, he expected the former president to call for a swift and transparent adjudication of the matter.
“Terming the process as flawed at the beginning seems disingenuous and appears to politicize a legal process,” Bility stated on his Facebook page.
The Nimba County Electoral District #7 Representative wants the government to continuously be “intentional” in its fight to curb corruption, as anything contrary could see the nation sliding into “a circle of impunity.”
“President Boakai’s decision to audit the previous government shows his commitment to being held accountable for his government’s actions, which is commendable,” Bility stated.
In the process leading to the arrest and investigation of those accused, the Representative wants those concerned given the opportunity to prove their innocence in a court of law, as, according to him, doing otherwise is simply not acceptable.
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