LOFA COUNTY – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, once a staunch critic of corruption, has ignited a firestorm with a controversial statement urging corrupt officials to use stolen public funds to “bless our people”.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai ascended to power on promises of eradicating corruption and promoting good governance.
“We want to encourage those who want to remain corrupt and steal money; I beg y’all, the money should be used to bless our people,” President Boakai said.
The statement comes against the backdrop of Liberia’s persistent struggle with corruption, reflected in its ranking of 145 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a dismal score of 25/100.
Take a listen to President Boakai’s remark
Marking World Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, Anderson Miamen, head of the Center for Transparency and Accountability (CENTAL), criticized the Boakai-led administration for what he described as “pampering corruption.” Miamen noted that the culture of impunity, coupled with inadequate funding for public integrity institutions and a lack of political will, remains the greatest obstacle to Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts.
“If the fight against corruption must succeed,” Miamen emphasized, “the President must lead by example and set a very high standard for others to follow.” He called on President Boakai to take bold and decisive actions to reverse Liberia’s negative corruption trends.
President Boakai’s remarks draws comparisons to comments made by Senator Nathaniel McGill (Margibi) during his tenure as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in 2022. McGill controversially defended the misuse of public funds, arguing that using “stolen” money to build infrastructure in Liberia was a “good thing” for the local population.
“Even if I was stealing the money and giving it to the Liberian people, that’s a good thing I’m doing,” McGill said at the time, adding, “At least I’m not stealing it and carrying it to Europe.” The parallels between these statements have fueled skepticism about the sincerity of Liberia’s leadership in tackling corruption.
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